MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny College men's soccer team scored a trio of set piece goals and added a fourth on a Baldwin Wallace miscue as the Gators defeated the Yellow Jackets, 4-2, this evening from Frank B. Fuhrer Field.
Allegheny (2-2-1, 0-0 NCAC) controlled the possession game and created more scoring chances than Baldwin Wallace (0-6, 0-0 OAC), owning a 22-11 edge in shots and a 10-5 advantage for attempts on target.
Junior forward
Bryce Evans provided an assist on each of the Gators' set piece goals, falling just one helper shy of tying the single-game program record set by both Ziv Arie (Sept. 1, 1993 vs. Waynesburg) and Ryan Fetterolf (Oct. 11, 2008 vs. Wabash).
The hosts had their first scoring chance in the 16th minute thanks to some fancy footwork from freshman midfielder
Jorge Olan. Olan split two defenders with a nutmeg and passed it up to senior midfielder
Zach Stryker, who ripped a shot that was saved over the crossbar.
The Yellow Jackets almost took a 1-0 lead soon after as sophomore defender
Liam McKersie recovered to block a right-footed strike by Danny Ruple inside the box.
Olan again created another opportunity in the 22nd minute, avoiding a pair of Baldwin Wallace defenders before firing a strike over the crossbar.
Allegheny's first goal came off an Evans corner kick in the 32nd minute. Evans' feed found its way to McKersie, who backheeled it to his fellow Liam in senior defender McNamee. McNamee redirected it off the pass, slotting it past Yellow Jackets goalkeeper Ryan Asbury to begin the scoring.
The Gators almost carried a 2-0 lead into the break as sophomore forward
Ian Chick ran down a long pass and provided a soft one-touch to gain space, but his strike was saved with a few seconds remaining in the half.
Ryan Hassell took advantage of a sloppy clear attempt in the 50th minute, curling a rocket past junior goalkeeper
David Stekla to give Baldwin Wallace the equalizer. The visitors then took a 2-1 lead in the 64th minute when Logan Davis chipped it over a sprinting Stekla, who attempted to clear a long pass from 25 yards out.
Stekla was shaken up after a collision on the goal, bringing in senior goalkeeper
Chris DeNelle for the first time this season. DeNelle quickly found himself in line for the decision after junior forward
Tolossa Hassan's goal in the 68th minute knotted the match up at 2-2. Evans created another chance off a corner kick, booting it to the far post where Hassan was waiting to slot it home.
Gaining momentum, Allegheny took a 3-2 advantage in the 75th minute off a free kick just outside the box. Evans' cross was a low one, but it evaded everyone and found senior defender
Aaron Donahoe, who calmly touched it in for his second goal of the season.
The Gators kept the pressure on, nearly making it 4-2 in the 79th minute when attempts by Evans and Hassan each hit the post. Allegheny would that fourth tally nine minutes later when Hassan hit woodwork once more, but the rebound was deflected in by a Baldwin Wallace centerback.
Hassan generated a team-high six shots, while Evans attempted five.
Stekla made a pair of saves over the first 63:14 before giving way to DeNelle, who saw a clean 26:46 to pick up the first victory of his career.
Allegheny closes a four-match homestand on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. against Penn State-Behrend. The Gators will be looking for revenge against the Lions after dropping a 4-3 thriller in Erie last season.
