Box Score SALT LAKE CITY – The Westminster College men's soccer team opened the 2012 season with a 2-0 win over Avila (Mo.) on Saturday afternoon at Dumke Field. Westminster (1-0) would score once in each half for the win.

Westminster would strike in the 19th minute when Bryan Rucklos finished a cross from Wilson Larson for the first goal of the season.  The game would remain 1-0 until the 60th minute when an Avila (0-1) defender kicked a Westminster cross into his own net to give the Griffins a 2-0 lead.

The Griffins controlled the action for much of the game and finished the afternoon with a 24-1 advantage in total shots. They managed to put eight of those shots on goal, and had a few others hit the post. Ryan Smith and Manuel Duenas led the way with four shots apiece while Gabe Gonzalez and Blaze Nelson each fired three shots.

“The team played exactly the way we wanted them to,” head coach Chris Dorich said.  “The back played with control and found the spaces to play into.”

Damir Sabaonvic made one save to earn the shutout victory in the Westminster goal.

Westminster will look for a second straight win to start the year on Sunday as they host College of Idaho at 2:30 p.m. at Dumke Field.