Balanced Offensive Attack Leads No. 7 Garnet to 6-0 Victory Over Washington College
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Coming off its first loss of the season, the No. 7 Swarthmore College men's soccer team certainly played liked a team that had something to prove against conference-rival Washington College.
Six different players found the back of the net as the Garnet (8-1, 2-1) completely dominated the visiting Shoremen in all facets of the game for a 6-0 victory on Wednesday night from Clothier Field Stadium.
Langley recorded a goal and assist in the first 20 minutes for the Garnet.
Sophomore Fabian Castro led the swarming offensive attack with a goal and two assists - all within the first 30 minutes of play - while senior captain Dylan Langley also added a goal and assist. Sophomore David Sterngold, sophomore Henry Ainley, freshman Kieran Reichert and freshman Thomas Drew also scored for Swat.
The six-goal margin of victory is the Garnet's largest of the 2009 season and the team's largest margin of victory over a Centennial Conference opponent since also defeating Washington College 6-0 in 2004. This is the third time this season that the Garnet has defeated an opponent by at least five goals.
If you blinked after the opening whistle, you may have missed the Garnet's first goal, as Swarthmore wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard - scoring :49 seconds into the game. Dylan Langley set-up a streaking and unmarked Castro down the left side with a beautifully-placed pass from the midfield. Castro set and ripped the ball past the Washington goalkeeper to give the Garnet the quick 1-0 lead.
The roles were reversed in the 19th minute, this time with Castro setting up a Langley goal from the front of the box to give Swat a 2-0 lead. Then on a free kick in the 28th minute, Castro got into the assisting act once again - this time with some help from sophomore defender Gage Newman and Sterngold. Castro blasted a free kick into the center of the box, where Newman rose up, headed it to an open Sterngold at the right corner of the goal - who converted to give the Garnet a commanding 3-0 lead.
Up 3-0 heading into the second half, the Garnet attack remained relentless, with newcomers Reichert, Ainley and Drew all
Drew scored his first career goal in the 85th minute.
finding the back of the net in the final frame.
Reichert scored his second goal of the season in the 52nd minute on an assist from junior Morgan Langley, bringing the score to 4-0. Ainley netted his fourth goal of the season in the 82nd minute with an assist from Phillippe Celestin to make it 5-0, and Drew added the final dagger when he took a deflected pass from the left of the box and scored in the 85th minute, bringing the score to the 6-0 final.
The Garnet finished with significant advantages in shots (21-6), shots on goal (11-2) and corners (3-2).
In goal for Swat, sophomore David D'Annunzio made two saves to record his team-leading third shutout of the season.
Swarthmore returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Gettysburg. Action is slated to begin at 7:00 p.m and can be viewed using Swarthmore Live Video.