Men's Soccer Opens Patriot League Play with a 2-1 Win Over Army
Sept. 29, 2007
WASHINGTON - The American University men's soccer team overcame a stellar defense and an unfortunate bounce to capture a 2-1 victory over Army Saturday at Reeves Field in both teams' Patriot League opener.
The Eagles, facing a Black Knight team that entered the game with a 6-1-1 non-conference record and had allowed just five goals (0.67/game) all season, were locked in a back-and-forth contest for much of the early going. The two teams combined for just five shots in the first 30 minutes, none of which were on goal.
Then in the 31st minute, junior midfielder Phil Purdy (Woodbridge, Va./Osbourn Park) made an electric play that changed the course of the game. Purdy took a high pass from freshman Daniel Shannon (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) in the box, chested it down to his own feet and then blasted a low shot to the left side, beating Army keeper A.J. Glubzinski. The tally made the score 1-0, but also opened the floodgates for scoring opportunities by both teams.
With the complexion of the contest changed to a more aggressive offensive style, the two teams traded opportunities over the next four minutes. AU's Karsten Smith (Huntington Station, N.Y./Walt Whitman) stepped up from his defensive center back position for a shot on net, only to be foiled by Glubzinski. Then Army's Daniel Newell fired a shot that went just wide. AU answered that with a shot by sophomore Jake Van Yahres (Charlottesville, Va./Charlottesville) that clanged off the far post. The Black Knight's Chase Spruill returned fire, hitting an AU player in front of the net to prevent a score.
American earned the final two scoring chances of the half. Van Yahres blasted a shot that was saved by Glubzinski in the 42nd minute, then just seconds later, and excellent scoring opportunity for the Eagles was thwarted when freshman Jon Freimark's (Belle Mead, N.J./Montgomery) seven-yard blast from directly in front hit his own teammate in the chest and bounced out.
AU got the first opportunity of the second half on a Mike Worden (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair) that went wide, and then Army forced Eagles keeper Chris Sedlak (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale) to make his only save of the day when the Black Knight's leading scorer Chris Conklin was wide open on the right side. American regained the momentum, however, and began putting the pressure on, hoping to go up by two goals. The Eagles took five of the game's next six shots, but Glubzinski made two saves and one other AU attempt was blocked, keeping the margin just one.
Having weathered the storm, the Black Knights came back looking to respond. They did just that, when in the 60th minute, Sedlak came off his line to challenge a long cross coming from right to left across the goal mouth. He got to the ball first, but was jostled by an Army player and had the ball just tip off his fingertips. The ball rolled directly to the feet of Newell, who blasted a shot into the now open net to equalize the score at one goal a piece.
However, American didn't even have time to lament the allowed goal. Just 70 ticks later, David Menzie (Chantilly, Va./Chantilly) dribbled the ball up the right sideline and placed a perfect cross at the feet of Shannon. Shannon got the instep of his right foot on the ball a foot off the ground and redirected the ball into the back of the net, giving the hosts a 2-1 lead with exactly 29 minutes left in the contest.
That goal, Shannon's second on the season, was all the Eagles would need to hold off the Black Knights. Shannon is the first player on the Eagles to tally multiple goals this season. Prior to that point, AU had scored eight goals by seven different players and an own goal. It was also Shannon's second game-winner on the season, and he finished with three points in the game.
Army managed just two more shots for the remainder of the contest, both of which were blocked before they reached the net.
The starting lineups were the epitome of contrast. American started nine freshman and sophomores, while the Black Knights sported a lineup of zero underclassmen. Still, the two teams played even for much of the game.
The PL-opening win stretches the Eagles' record in Patriot League openers to 5-1-1 in their seven years in the conference and moves AU to 4-4-1 overall, 1-0 in the Patriot League.
American returns to action on Tuesday, Oct. 2, when it hosts non-league opponent Columbia in a 3 p.m. start. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for youths and free for AU students with ID. If you can't make it to the game, check it out on Eagles All*Access bly clicking the All*Access logo on the top right of AUEagles.com.
