MEADVILLE, Pa. – Despite a late rally sparked by a highlight-reel goal, the Allegheny College men's soccer team fell in its season finale to DePauw University, 3-2, this afternoon on Senior Day from Frank B. Fuhrer Field.
Allegheny (4-11-2, 3-5-1 NCAC) outshot DePauw (11-2-4, 6-1-2 NCAC) in the second half, 9-6, but the Tigers held a 21-15 edge in shots over the course of the match. DePauw also created six more corner kick opportunities (10-4) than the Gators and fired 10 shots on goal to the hosts' seven.
The Tigers struck first in the 28th minute when Alieu Musa touched in a deflection off senior goalkeeper
Jake Pugliese's glove. EJ Moore gained the assist with the initial cross from the goal line.
DePauw doubled its lead nine minutes later on the counter. Musa gathered a pass and one-touched it up to Taras Tataryn, who slotted it home under a diving Pugliese.
Allegheny responded in the 52nd minute to cut the Tiger advantage in half. Junior midfielder
Liam McNamee set the tally up with a throw-in from the sideline as he found sophomore forward
Izaak Miller in the box. Miller's attempt was blocked, but the ricochet made its way to junior defender
Aaron Donahoe, who buried the loose ball for his team-leading fifth goal of the season.
In the 76th minute, the Tigers regained their two-goal lead when Adrian Ables flicked the ball over Pugliese off a pass from Mitch Reavis.
The Gators began to press after that, with junior midfielder
Scott Powell firing a shot a minute after the DePauw tally. Less than eight minutes later Powell's classmate
Nick Dias forced a save out of Tiger goalkeeper Chris Yount.
Less than two minutes after senior midfielder
Alex Marks rifled an attempt high of the net, his fellow four-year
Brenton Stoddart brought Allegheny within one in the 88th minute. Stoddart's first tally of the season came in impressive fashion as he unleashed a left-footed strike from 30 yards out that weaved through traffic and fell in by the far post.
The hosts had enough time for one final push to score the tying goal as they were given a throw-in with 20 seconds remaining. The loose ball in the box found the feet of freshman defender
Liam McKersie, but his shot soared wide of the netting.
Pugliese made seven saves in the defeat.
Jacob Lebsack,
Corey Macmillan,
Alex Marks,
Jake Pugliese, and
Brenton Stoddart were recognized prior to the contest as a part of Senior Day festivities. The senior quintet combined to make 183 appearances for the blue and gold in their careers.
