BEREA, Ohio -- The Allegheny College men's soccer team opened the 2026 campaign with a 2-1 non-conference loss against Baldwin Wallace University on the road Tuesday night in Berea, Ohio.
The Gators (0-1-0) and Yellow Jackets (1-0-0) played a fairly even contest to begin the year. Both teams were credited with 17 shots and six corners. BWU, however, received two goals from junior midfielder Robbie Rochford en route to the victory. Rochford found the back of the net in the 31st and 57th minutes, giving Baldwin Wallace an insurmountable lead.
Allegheny slashed the BWU lead in half in the 65th minute, when freshman midfielder
Cooper Euziere (Melbourne, Fla./Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy) potted his first tally as a Gator.
Micah Khembo (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) and
Colin Hill (Volant, Pa./Wilmington) both earned assists on the play. Allegheny's offense kept the pressure on the Yellow Jacket defense in the 70th minute with consecutive corner kicks. The first resulted in a shot on target from
Billy Sprott (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area), while the second attempt from Hill flew over the goal.
Moments later, the Gators produced another series of shots. That included three from
Ben Keefer (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley), the last of which was saved by Baldwin Wallace keeper Diego Teran in the 80th minute. Teran also denied
Will Gruca (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) in the 88th minute to secure the season-opening victory.
Inside the Box Score
- Allegheny finished with 17 shots and nine shots on goal.
- BWU also logged 17 shots, but only seven were on target.
- Both teams received six corner kicks.
- Euziere netted Allegheny's only goal with assists from Khembo and Hill.
- Goalie Cadan Bennett (Gibsonia, Pa,/Pine-Richland) made five saves while playing all 90 minutes for the Gators.
- Rochford scored both goals for Baldwin Wallace.
News and Notes
- The Gators are 6-7-1 against Baldwin Wallace dating back to the 2011 season.
- In his first collegiate game, Euziere scored his first career goal.
- Hill's assist is the second of his career.
- Fellow freshmen Alden Groff (Akron, N.Y./Clarence), Nathaniel Jones (Rochester, N.Y./Irondequoit), and Brennan Mattie (Cheswick, Pa./Springdale) all made their first appearances off the bench.
Up Next
Allegheny hosts Buffalo State in its 2026 home opener on Saturday, September 5, at 1 p.m.
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