Jones-Riley shines as Flyers men’s soccer opens 2021 regular season with a win and draw in Wolstein Classic

Junior Jaden Jones-Riley scored a hat trick in the Flyers’ 5-1 win over UAB Friday. Photo courtesy of daytonflyers.com.

Jamie Blodgett | Contributing Writer

After a 3-0 record in the preseason, the Dayton Flyers men’s soccer team traveled to Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at The Ohio State University to face off against the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the University of Memphis in their first contests of the regular season. 

Their first game took place Friday, Aug. 27 against UAB in the Wolstein Classic, where the Dayton eleven earned a stellar 5-1 victory. 

The scoring began with junior winger Jaden Jones-Riley’s goal in the 13th minute of the match. UAB then quickly reciprocated in the 15th minute with a goal on the pitch to even out the score. The contest continued with both teams going back and forth down the pitch until Dayton sophomore attacking midfielder Michael Adedokun assisted a goal to junior forward Forster Ajago in the 43 minute of the match. 

Both Jones-Riley and Ajago proceeded to each achieve a brace in the contest by scoring in the 47 and 51 minute, but Jones-Riley didn’t stop there when he added a goal for his career first hat trick in the 51 minute, just after Ajago’s second goal. Jones-Riley’s performance earned him Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week honors. 

Dayton sophomore goalkeeper Marc Kouadio saved three shots in the contest, aiding in the Dayton win over UAB for the first match of the tournament.

The Wolstein Classic continued Sunday, Aug. 29 against the Memphis Tigers when the Flyers and Tigers fought to a double-overtime draw. The Tigers grabbed the lead in the 36th minute and going into halftime both teams had recorded seven shots on goal with Memphis leading 1-0. 

Coming back onto the pitch Dayton was not done yet with an assist from junior full back Xavier Zengue to Ajago, who scored in the 50th minute of the contest. 

Ajago recorded five shots, including the equalizer of the match. Yet again, Kouadio stepped up with six saves in the contest, helping Dayton continue their unbeaten streak to start the season. 

“We played inconsistent today and left too many good chances on the field,” head coach Dennis Currier said.

Dayton will return to Baujan Field Sept. 4 at 7pm against Incarnate Word looking to improve their 1-0-1 record of the season.

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