BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College men's soccer team defeated Utica (N.Y.) College, 2-1, today (Sunday, August 31, 2008) in the championship game of the Penn State Behrend Herb Lauffer Tournament in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Yellow Jackets end their first weekend of play with a 2-0 record.
Leading the way for the Yellow Jackets was junior midfielder Jim Synk (Strongsville) as he was chosen as the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
After Utica gained a 1-0 lead, B-W battled back for the second straight day to tie the score and then win the game.
The Yellow Jackets tied the score at 1-1 at the 71:35 mark when Jim Synk scored an unassisted goal. B-W then took the lead for good less than 10 minutes later when junior midfielder and brother Andy Synk (Strongsville) scored his first career goal as a Yellow Jacket at the 81:05 mark via an assist from senior Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference midfielder Michael Grater (Stow/ Stow-Munroe Falls). It also marked the second straight day that Grater assisted on the game-winner. Yesterday, Grater assisted junior forward Charlie Thompson (Huron) 'golden goal' in a 2-1 victory versus SUNY-Geneseo (N.Y.).
In goal, B-W junior goalkeeper Russ Mika (Medina/ Senior) played all 90 minutes and in two games this weekend, B-W goalies allowed just two goals in 189:04 for a 0.95 goals-against-average.
The Yellow Jackets next play on Wednesday, September 3 against Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan in the second game of a women's and men's doubleheader at 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. B-W will then play at Oberlin College on Sept. 10 at 7:00 p.m. The home opener is on Saturday, Sept. 13 when B-W hosts Grove City (Pa.) College at 7:00 p.m. on Alumni Day/ Night.
FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Asst. SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access BW athletics information at www.BWyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.
