BEREA, Ohio – In a game that came down to the final seconds, the Baldwin Wallace University men's soccer team could not hold off the offense of Allegheny (Pa.) College, falling 3-2.
BW (1-4) was able to take the early advantage over the Gators (3-2) with a goal scored in the sixth minute. A blocked shot by junior Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference defender Jeremy Foust (Strongsville) was chased down in the midfield and recycled back to Foust, who played the ball up to sophomore All-OAC forward Danny Ruple (Berea/Berea-Midpark). Ruple slid the ball to the back post where sophomore Joey Geither (Parma/Normandy) found the back of the net for his second goal of the season and Ruple's third assist.
While the Yellow Jackets were able to maintain momentum and head into the locker room with a 1-0 lead at halftime, Allegheny pressed forward in the second half and tied up the game in the 59th minute with a goal from junior forward Ian Chick and took the lead in the 78th minute off a goal from senior forward Bryce Evans.
The Yellow Jackets were able to quickly recover the momentum and pressed to tie the game. Sophomore forward Cannon Dees (Berea/Berea-Midpark) got loose on the right side of the field and played a cross to the back post for freshman forward Michael Snowball (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel), who headed in his first career goal. Dees also notched his first career assist on the play.
In the final 10 minutes, BW had several more attempts to win the game, including a laser by Ruple that hit the left post with less than seven minutes to play. However, a counterattack by sophomore midfielder Jorge Olan in the final four seconds of the game sealed the win for the Gators.
Final statistics were fairly even on both sides as both teams took 14 shots with both goalies facing eight shots on goal. Allegheny held the slight advantage in saves made and corner kicks, six to five in both statistics.
BW will try to bounce back when the Yellow Jackets travel to Wooster to take on the College of Wooster on Thursday, September 14, at 5 p.m.
