OBERLIN, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University men's soccer team could not overcome a second-half offensive surge, falling 4-2 to Oberlin College.
Oberlin came out and pressed the ball, rifling off six shots in the first 15 minutes with sophomore goalkeeper Patrick Mehal (Richfield/Revere) making five consecutive games to open the game.
Senior forward Timothy Williams finally found a ball that made it past Mehal with a touch finish off a lofty chip from sophomore midfielder Jake Crim in the 33rd minute.
Just two minutes later, sophomore All-Ohio Athletic Conference forward and reigning OAC Player of the Week Danny Ruple (Berea/Berea-Midpark) was awarded a penalty kick, which he converted to tie the game up at 1-1.
After a couple of substitutions late in the first half, sophomore forward Cole McDaniel (West Liberty/West Liberty-Salem) sent a cross in to freshman midfielder Jacob Rahe (Brook Park/Berea-Midpark), who headed the ball in for his first collegiate goal and McDaniel his first collegiate assist in the 41st minute. BW carried that 2-1 lead into the locker room at halftime.
BW had several good looks to open the second half. Thirty seconds into the start of the half, Ruple played a ball in to freshman forward Michael Snowball (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) had a good look at goal 30 seconds into the second half but could not get the ball past senior goalkeeper Connor English who palmed it off the post.
The Yeomen tied the game up at 2-2 on a through ball by senior defender Jesse Lauritsen, giving sophomore midfielder Jack McMillin the chance for a back post finish across the box in the 53rd minute. The game would remain tied for another 20 minutes until sophomore forward Jiadi Cheng rebounded his own blocked shot into the net for a 3-2 lead in the 71st minute, a lead they would not relinquish.
Statistics were evenly matched as each team took 15 shots on the night, four corner kicks, had three offsides and seven fouls. Oberlin held the advantage in shots on goal, 12 to seven, while Mehal made a season-high seven saves compared to English's five.
The Yellow Jackets will return to Berea for two consecutive home games before opening up conference play at the end of the month. BW will host Defiance College for a men's and women's doubleheader on Saturday, Sept. 23, with the men playing in the second game starting at 7 p.m.
