By Jason He
Gargoyle staff reporter
Posted Friday, Sept. 8, 2006, The OG, sports

DECATUR — The Uni boys varsity soccer team blanked host Decatur Christian Thursday 12-0 to remain undefeated.

The team's largest margin of victory since 1997 improves the season record to 7-0 for the first time in Uni history. The 12 goals should earn Uni a spot in the IHSA record books. The Illineks' total ranks as the ninth-most goals ever scored in a match, surpassing the 11 scored by Marion vs. Mater Dei Breese in 2003 and by Fisher vs. Blue Ridge in 2005.

The shutout was Uni's fifth of the season and fourth in a row. With a shutout in their next game, the Illineks would share a spot in the IHSA record books with Buffalo Grove (2002) for the 10th-longest streak of consecutive shutouts. Juniors Isaac Radnitzer and Mike Renner have been Uni's varsity goalies this year.

The entire varsity bench took a turn playing in the field Thursday, with 10 different players netting at least one goal. Uni's scoring was very balanced, with no single player scoring more than two goals. This gave many of the players who were not starters a chance to score their first goals.

“It was essentially a practice game for the second string and a rest for the starters,” said senior Michael Belmont, who scored two goals. Junior Jake Seeley also netted two goals.

At the 50th minute, the game was cut short by 20 minutes in accordance with the IHSA's newly instated “mercy rule,” which reduces the clock by half the remaining time in the second period once there is a seven-goal difference in the scores. In Thursday's game, Uni was already leading by eight goals at the end of the first half.

The win continued the Illineks' dominance over their East Central Illinois Conference opponent. In 2005 under coach Carlos Cervantes, Uni beat Decatur Christian 9-2. Uni has never lost a match against the Warriors, with the closest outcome being a 3-3 draw in 2004.

The Illineks will travel Saturday to Sullivan High School for a 10 a.m. game. Uni defeated the Redskins last year 11-1. The team returns to its home field Tuesday to face Oakwood at 4:30 p.m.

2006 VARSITY RECORD: 7-0 overall, 2-0 ECIC
(Home games in bold)
Aug. 26: Blue Ridge (Uni Soccer Shootout), W 6-0
Aug. 26: Oakwood (Uni Soccer Shootout), W 5-2
Aug. 26: Fisher/Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (Uni Soccer Shootout), W 7-2
Aug. 29: Judah Christian,* W 2-0
Aug. 31: at Mahomet-Seymour, W 2-0
Sept. 5: Fisher/GCMS, W 3-0
Sept. 7: at Decatur Christian,* W 12-0
*East Central Illinois Conference opponent