Compared to the intensity of the previous week’s games, the Washington University men’s soccer team’s game at Greenville University in Greenville, Ill. was a breeze. The Bears jumped out to an early 2-0 lead courtesy of a pair of goals by senior forward Ryan Sproule, then cruised through the second half on the way to a 5-0 victory to move to 4-3 on the season.

Coming off a two-overtime marathon with Wheaton College, the Red and Green faced a quick turnaround, traveling to Illinois for the rare Monday night matchup. The game was never predicted be easy, as Greenville entered the game 7-1, outscoring opponents 20-1 in its last three games.

Grace Bruton | Student Life

Sophomore forward Cole Schmitz takes a shot on goal while under pressure from multiple Wartburg College defenders. Washington University shut out Greenville University 5-0 Monday, improving the Bears’ record to 4-3 and extending their current winning streak to four games consecutively.

Wash. U., on the other hand, entered still recovering from the three consecutive losses they suffered at the start of their season. Both teams hoped to keep their win streak intact, the Bears hoping to avoid falling right back under .500 after evening their record.

The Bears unabashedly went for the ball the second the match began. They took possession of the ball early and quickly found ways to attack the opposing area, both from shots and corner kicks. However, upon fighting for possession, it was Greenville who forced junior goalkeeper Connor Matthes to intervene first and keep the scoreboard 0-0. Early on, it seemed that the home team held the advantage.

Unfortunately for Greenville, the Bears didn’t let the dangerous plays dissuade them from being aggressive. In the 12th minute, senior midfielder Kyle Perez fired a long-range cross close to the penalty area, right to Sproule. The Wash. U. striker didn’t hesitate to finish the play, and scored with a neat finish. The Bears, with the lead established, grew even more comfortable being aggressive.

Grace Bruton | Student Life

Aidan Ryan moves the ball down the field and looks for an opening against Wartburg College. Ryan made a security goal for the Bears in the 65th minute against Greenville University.

From there, Greenville challenged the limitations of the Red and Green defense and even created a couple more dangerous plays in an attempt to tie the game. Matthes was once again needed and denied the home team the few shots they had on goal. The Bears also had a couple of chances to distance themselves further, but the Greenville goalkeeper stepped in.

However, the Bears would not end the first half without going for one last goal; they got their wish around the 41st minute. After an excellent cross fired by sophomore Andrew Brunetti, Sproule shot again from the top of the box, making his second goal that night, as well as his fifth goal this season. The Bears could now celebrate comfortably, confident that this game would be a stress-free night. Compared to their previous games, they ended the first half without fear of facing an equalizer.

When the second half started, Wash. U. again dominated the ball, but found themselves clashing with Greenville more frequently than the first half. However, it didn’t seem that the home team was exerting the same pressure as they had before. For the first couple minutes of the second half, both teams passed the ball around, to the point where the lack of attacking made it possible that this half would be a scoreless one.

But in the 54th minute, Sproule teamed up with his brother, sophomore forward Will Sproule, to play a one-two as they went deeper into the penalty area. When the angle was right, the younger Sproule fired a shot inside the box and netted the third goal for Wash. U. of the evening.

The game then dwindled as both sides made their substitutions. Just when it appeared that this would be all of the action, the Bears gained a corner kick around the 63rd minute. After struggling to bypass the Greenville defense, junior midfielder Makio Yamamoto executed a corner kick which ended up at the feet of freshman Aidan Ryan, who ensured the fourth goal for the Bears. At this point, it was clear that nothing would stop Wash. U. from taking the result; it seemed that Greenville understood and played a little resigned for the next few minutes.

The final nail to Greenville’s coffin was laid around the 75th minute by senior midfielder Marc VandenBerg when he fired a shot from the far left wing into the net. From there, Wash. U. eased into the closing minutes of the game.

The Bears ultimately played stronger soccer than their opponents, though luck favored them, too: The visitors were able to convert some of their shots into goals (five out of 11), while the home team couldn’t (zero for eight).

Now, the Bears prepare to take on rival Emory University, ranked No. 6 in Division III, this Saturday at 11 a.m. at Francis Field.