Wind, Wesleyan or whatever, Saman Hassan knew the Wayland Baptist men's soccer team was going to prevail.
"The effort is amazing on this team. We have such big hearts and are so dedicated," Hassan said after he and teammate Jevaughn Vance scored a goal apiece in a 2-0 victory over Texas Wesleyan in the Pioneers' home-opener Friday at J.V. Hilliard Field.
The victory kept Wayland's record perfect at 3-0. It's by far the best start ever in the four-year history of the program. In fact, the three wins matches what the team produced all season just two years ago.
"That (3-0) is great for any team, but we don't want to settle for just being 3-0," Vance, a sophomore from Trinidad, said.
Hassan said he is "very surprised…compared to last year" that the Pioneers are undefeated, having outscored Mary Hardin-Baylor, Houston-Victoria and Wesleyan a combined 9-1.
"It feels great," said the senior from Simpsonville, S.C.
Vance scored first in the 68th minute on a 22-yard free kick from just outside the penalty box. The ball hooked and hit high off the top left post before ricocheting in.
"Fortunately for me I made it," said Vance, the leading goal scorer a year ago in the Sooner Athletic Conference. Vance, who has come off the bench all season and subbed Friday for Miguel Teos when he went out with an injured hamstring, drew the praise of head coach Jamath Shoffner.
"That was a great free kick," Shoffner said. "I was proud of Jevaughn's effort."
The goal set off a celebration as several WBU players put on a brief train dance in front of 100 or so fans.
Hassan's goal came on a penalty kick in the 76th minute, sending the ball cleanly into the net on the right as Wesleyan keeper Dejan Milosevic dived the opposite direction.
"Thank God it went in," Hassan said.
The two deadball goals were more than enough to record another win for WBU's John-Ramses Thomas, who earned SAC Keeper of the Year as a freshman last season. Thomas was credited with four saves against Wesleyan (1-1), including what Shoffner called an "amazing" kick save in the second half.
"I think that saved the game for us," the coach said. "That was a huge save."
Both Wayland goals came in the second half when the Pioneers had a strong wind at their backs. Shoffner said Wayland won the coin flip and deferred until the second half in order to have the wind at their backs in the final 45 minutes.
"I felt like we were deeper and had a bigger bench and were more fit," the coach said.
While Shoffner was proud of his team for "grinding it out" and showing great effort, he wasn't particularly pleased with the club's overall performance.
"The weather played a big factor in it, but that was our worst game of the year," he said. "I guess that shows we can win ugly, and I'll take an ugly win any day."
Vance agreed that the conditions were difficult, but said the Pioneers stuck together to overcome them.
"It was a team effort," he said, "and we came out with a victory."
The Pioneers next play at 6 p.m. Wednesday at home against Southwestern Assemblies of God University, which is 2-1 prior to a match scheduled for Saturday against Louisiana College. SAGO, of Waxahachie, opened the season with a 1-0 double-overtime loss to SAC member Mid-America Christian in Oklahoma City.
"They're pretty solid," Shoffner said. "They'll be organized and will fight to win."
Vance said Wayland can't afford to relax.
"It's only going to get tougher from here on out," he said.
Wayland opened last season with identical 4-1 losses to Wesleyan and SAGU.
"We'll have to prove ourselves again," Shoffner said. "We don't ever want to get over-confident."