The Elizabethtown College men’s soccer team won five of its last six conference games heading into a meeting against the Flying Dutchmen at Lebanon Valley College last Saturday. They lost 2-1.
The Blue Jays (9-6-2, 6-2 CC) travelled to Annville, Pa. to take on the Dutchmen (9-5-3, 3-3-1 CC), a team that ended Etown’s road to the 2012 Commonwealth Conference Championship game with a 1-0 victory in the semifinals last season. The Blue Jays entered the game with an all-time series record of 16-3-3 against the Dutchmen, but, in the teams’ last three meetings, Etown had not recorded a win, drawing one and losing two.
Junior Andrew Sandridge had an early opportunity to score in the eighth minute, but his shot rang off the post. After 25 minutes of play, Etown had tallied seven shots, two on target, to Lebanon Valley’s zero. The Dutchmen did not get their first shot until the 28th minute. The shot by LVC’s Gabe Stasyszyn went over Etown’s sophomore goalkeeper Rodrigo Barrera’s head and into the far side of the net to make the score 1-0 in favor of the Dutchmen. Lebanon Valley’s second shot would also prove fruitful. A free kick for LVC was tipped by Barrera and put into the net by Kyle Fronk on the rebound. At the expiration of the first half, Etown had no goals on eight shots, while the Dutchmen were two for two. The Blue Jays also allowed no corner kicks for the opposition while having won four corner kick opportunities for themselves.
The Blue Jays began the second half knowing that they would have to overcome a two-goal deficit if they wanted to get at least a point out of this game. It was not until 22 minutes into the half that Etown would get themselves back into the game. On his fourth shot of the evening, in the 67th minute, senior forward Zach Lee finally found the tally he had been looking for. He headed a cross from Sandridge into the low right side of the net to bring the Blue Jays back within a single goal. Two more shots on target by Lee in the 74th and 78th minutes were saved by LVC goalkeeper James Clements, and another shot in the 82nd minute by junior midfielder Kyle Fowler was met with the same fate. The Blue Jays put pressure on the Dutchmen defense near the end, but they couldn’t find an answer to Clements, who had an impressive eight saves. When the final whistle blew, the score stood at 2-1 Lebanon Valley.
Lone goal-scorer Lee had six shots, including four on target and a goal. He has two goals and three assists through 16 games this season. Goalkeeper Barrera had two saves on five shots and allowed two goals. Sandridge’s assist extended his season points total to 13, which leads the team. He has five goals, also a team lead, and three assists through 16 games. The Blue Jays have outscored their opponents this season 16-6 in the second half, also outshooting them 129-121 in the second half. Etown has struggled a bit more in the first half this season, being outscored 11-10 and outshot 124-106.
On Wednesday the Blue Jays traveled to Lycoming College in the final regular season away game.
The first half included two penalty shots, one given to both teams. Lycoming had the first attempt in the 25th minute. Barrera came up big again for the Blue Jays, stopping Lycoming’s Bill Kerr to keep the game scoreless.
In the tenth minute Etown capitalized on a penalty called in the box when Sandridge found the back of the net for the Blue Jays to give them an early lead. This was only the second opportunity that Etown had at the penalty strike this season.
A Lycoming foul in the 60th minute of play gave the Blue Jays a chance to double their lead and they did just that. Junior Zach Hollinger gave Etown a two goal lead that they would not relinquish.
The Warriors broke the shutout with only 31 seconds left on the clock when Kerr headed a shot that landed at Luke Klingers feet which he kicked past a sprawling Barrera. The score ended 2-1.
With the win, Etown solidified the second seed in the conference playoffs.
Etown’s final regular season game against Widener University will take place at Ira R. Herr Field on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30p.m.