MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny College men's soccer team put forth a valiant effort against No. 7 Kenyon College this evening in North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) action, but the Lords used two second-half goals to top the Gators, 2-0.
Allegheny (4-9-2, 3-3-1 NCAC) generated seven shot attempts in the final 45 minutes, but were a bit unlucky to not come away with at least one goal. Kenyon (13-1-0, 6-1-0 NCAC) scored in the 65th and 80th minutes, outshot the Gators, 16-8, and rifled six attempts on net to the hosts' four.
Junior midfielder
Liam McNamee paced Allegheny with three shots, all of which were on target. Senior goalkeeper
Jake Pugliese made four saves between the posts.
Pugliese was tested early in the third minute, but made a save on Tony Amolo, who is tied for the NCAC lead in goals with 13. That was the Lords only attempt on target in the half, while McNamee provided the only first half test for Kenyon goalkeeper Sam Clougher in the 18th minute.
The visitors broke through when an unmarked Woo Jeon chipped it over Pugliese. Josh Lee sent in a cross that bounced off a Gator defender and right to Jeon, who finished it off to make it 1-0 Lords.
Allegheny almost had an immediate answer when junior midfielder
Nick Dias ripped a shot, but it flew wide of the netting.
Dias' attempt began to swing the momentum in favor of the Gators as pressure in their offensive half almost provided the equalizing tally. McNamee found the ball in the box and tried to slot it home, but Clougher got just enough of it to have it ricochet off the left post. The rebound trickled to Dias, who attempted a header, but it was blocked by a Kenyon defender for a corner.
The hosts made Clougher work again in the 75th minute as McNamee and sophomore forward
Tolossa Hassan saw their attempts find the mitts of Irish goalkeeper.
The Lords put the match away five minutes later when Amolo gained position in the box and headed home a cross from Billy O'Neill.
Allegheny hits the road next on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. against Wooster. The Gators find themselves in a battle for the final spot in the NCAC Tournament as they currently sit one point behind Wabash as of now.
