Messiah Earns 2-1 Win Over Williams in NCAA Men's Soccer Semifinals
Courtesy Williams Sports Information
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The Williams men's soccer team came out of the gates and went right after defending champion Messiah in the first of two national semifinal contests being played Friday evening, but it was Messiah that took a 1-0 lead into intermission en route to a 2-1 victory. The loss ended the Ephs' impressive season at 16-3-3.
Despite outshooting Messiah 10-5 in the first 45 minutes and gene rating a couple of outstanding scoring opportunities it was the Falcons and not the Ephs who drew first blood.
"Our plan was to come out and attack and put them back on their heels," said Eph head coach Mike Russo. "I thought that we were athletic enough to cause them some problems, but we couldn't get one in before halftime.
Messiah goalie Jared Clugston showed remarkable quickness and athleticism when he dove to his left at 21:23 and just got his finger tips on a shot from inside the box to his right by the Ephs Gaston Kelly.
Moments later Kelly had another opportunity at the top of the box on the left side that was just wide and you could see the Ephs confidence growing minute by minute. The Ephs carried the play for a significant amount of time in the first half, but they were denied by Clugston and victimized by being just off target on some others.
With 32:46 gone in the first half the Falcons took the lead, a lead they would not relinquish, when Sam Woodworth slipped a pass into the box to a streaking Trevor Lee who was able to touch the ball around Eph keeper Andrew Graham and bury the ball in the back of the net.
"I thought there goal was against the run of play," noted Eph junior striker Charlie Romero and yes it was frustrating to carry the play in the half and not get a goal."
Another long ball off a restart was headed over the goal by Conor Smith as the Ephs kept bringing the ball forward.
The Ephs registered the first scoring opportunity in the second half when Gaston Kelly lofted a high ball into the box that forced Clugston to punch it out of danger.
Messiah's next trip down the field forced the Ephs Andrew Graham to make a diving save to his right off a shot by Geoff Pezon to keep the deficit at one. soon Messiah came a knockin' again and Derek Black ripped left footer from 30 yards out that went over the bar.
Messiah began to exert its offense and only a sliding tackle in the box by Joe Vella kept the score 1-0 at 57:13. Less than a minute later Vella was there again to prevent a Messiah score when Geoff Pezon squirmed out of a double team in the left corner and came across the endline and hit Josh wood at the top of the box who ripped a shot on goal that never made it to the netting because Vella's body rejected it.
Hard luck then rose up and bit the Ephs when Patrick Ebobisse raced down the left flank and ripped a laser to the far post. The shot beat Clugston to the far post, but much to the chagrin of the Eph faithful the ball bounced back across the goal line toward the near post and Clugston reacing quickly dove on it to preserve the lead.
Graham again was test at 61 minutes when he dove to the right to snatch a header by JP Fulton that had goal written all over it.
Ebobisse then caused some concern for Messiah when he eluded and smoked the right midfielder and carried the ball to towards the endline and centered a ball about three yeards out from goal that Clugston either did not see or was not able to collect. The ball went all the way across the field and out of bounds.
At 78:43 Messiah netted what would prove to be the game-winner when Danny Thompson crossed ball from the right side to the left side of the box to Derek Black who ripped a shot about knee high two yards inside the far post.
With less than nine minutes left Gaston Kelly was again denied by Clugston but the Ephs kept coming. Moving center back Conor Smith up the Ephs got the ball in the box and out of a scramble first year defender Matt Ratacjzak poked one past Clugston to make it 2-1 Messiah.
The Ephs last chance to score came off another high serve into the box that was punched away by Clugston, but it ended up at the feet of Angus Kennedy who hurriedly ripped a shot on the goal but it sailed high to the right.
On the night the Ephs fired off 18 shots with five being on goal, while Messiah's two goals came from 19 shots, of which nine were on goal. The Ephs' Andrew Graham made five saves and his teammates recorded two. Jared Clugston turned aside four Eph attempts.
"I told the boys it's always tough to lose when you play well," said Russo. "I asked them appreciate all that they've achieved this season [16-3-3 vs. 8-6-2 in 2008] and to know that the coaches were extremely proud of their efforts all season long."
