Conor Doyle becomes all-time Union Omaha assist leader
PAPILLION, Neb. (June 24, 2023) – Union Omaha cruised back into the win column with a 2-0 victory over South Georgia Tormenta FC Saturday night.
It was another busy week at home for the Owls, who were fresh off a hard-fought 1-1 draw against One Knoxville SC. Although the Owls were unbeaten in their last two matches, they were hungry for much-needed win in order to stay in playoff contention and had a prime opportunity to do so against defending League One Champions South Georgia Tormenta, which the Owls have never lost to in three seasons.
The Owls used back-to-back corner kicks to inflict some extra pressure on the Tormenta defense just before the half. Joe Brito was able to get a blocked shot on the first before another corner set up JP Scearce for his signature headed goal to put the Owls up 1-0 in the beginning of stoppage time. The assist from Doyle, the 12th of his career, makes the 31-year-old the club’s all-time leader in assists.
“It’s special and with the short but historic few years this club has had, to put my name out there, it’s special for sure,” Doyle said. “Even the names alongside me were big-time player she has clubs, so it’s definitely special to finally accomplish.”
“It felt great,” Scearce said. “Obviously getting an early goal and giving us a good start to the game was really exciting because Conor and I have a connection from last year and we spoke before he took the corner to drive it to the back post and I was just there to finish it off.”
The stoppage-time scoring wasn’t done for the Owls, not coming without some assistance from the South Georgia defense. Shaft Brewer Jr. and Noe Meza combined for some dangerous play along the right wing, with Tormenta’s Deshawon Nembhard sending one in goal to give the Owls some extra insurance going into the half.
Omaha kept Tormenta goalkeeper TJ Bush on alert in the second half with more quality chances, with Meza looking to replicate his free kick goal from the other night, but the shot was handled.
The Owls went back on the prowl in the 77th minute, with Marco Milanese crossing into Joe Brito on the box, who just narrowly missed the chance before the ball was smothered by Bush before it could cause any further damage.
Milanese kept the clean sheet intact with a brilliant headed clearance in the 89th minute to keep Tormenta off the scoreboard. The Owls’ defense would go on to hold the visitors scoreless in the team’s fourth clean sheet of the year.
“We had a team talk yesterday to talk about what’s been going on and how to fix it as a group, and I think that team talk really united us and brought us together to put up a good performance for tonight,” Scearce said.
“It’s been a long time coming but really pleased to get the win. The guys fought hard, played well,” Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato said. “I think we played a lot better than that this season and only come away with one point rather than three, so just really pleased for the guys that continue to work hard and continue to buy into everything we’re doing.”
The Owls will look to continue the winning next week on the road, traveling to Central Valley Fuego FC Saturday, July 1. Omaha will return to Werner Park Saturday, July 8 against Richmond Kickers for Star Wars Night.
ABOUT UNION OMAHA
Union Omaha, the 2021 USL League One Champion, is the only professional soccer team in the state of Nebraska. USL League One is a United States Soccer Federation-sanctioned professional men’s soccer league that occupies the third tier of the American soccer landscape, below USL Championship (tier two) and Major League Soccer (tier one). Union Omaha plays its home matches at Werner Park in Sarpy County, also home to the Omaha Storm Chasers of Minor League Baseball. The team is led by General Manager Peter Marlette in the front office and by Head Coach Dominic Casciato on the field.
