Garnet Stu Up Win in Central PA
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- Sophomore midfielders Stu Leon and Ladule Lako lo Sarah scored first-half goals and junior goalkeeper Ryan Sutcliffe made them stand up as Garnet men's soccer got past host Dickinson 2-0 in their 2006 Centennial Conference opener in Carlisle, Pa.
Physical play dominated early, and tight refereeing led to both teams picking up double-digit first half foul calls. Neither club could generate much offense; the first shot of the match did not come until the 18th minute of play.
Leon's goal came with 24:40 to play in the half. Junior captain Pat Christmas ran onto a ball in the open on the left side of the field, spun, and immediately hit a left-footed cross back into the center. Leon got free of his defender, leaped, and headed the ball to the left of Dickinson netminder Rodrigo Barbosa and into the net.
The offensive drought resumed, and it looked like the match would remain 1-0 headed into the half when junior midfielder Michael Bonesteel got the ball on the left wing. Bonesteel hit a centering pass, but a Dickinson defender was in position to trap and clear the ball. But the defender missed the ball, and it trickled through to a wide-open Lako lo Sarah, who took a few dribbles before teeing off and giving the visitors a 2-0 lead.
Dickinson had just four shots in the first half despite taking five corner kicks. The Red Devils had one good scoring opportunity late in the half but the shot came in right at Sutcliffe for his only save of the half.
The Red Devils immediately took command as the second half got under way, and this time they would pepper Sutcliffe with shots. Swarthmore quickly took a defensive posture and played five midfielders and just one forward for most of the period. Dickinson would finish with fourteen shots for the half to the Garnet's two.
But Sutcliffe, who made five stops in the half, was in command. He got some help from the soccer gods as well, as Dickinson's Magen Mintz thought he had a goal in the 84th minute only to see the ball hit the bottom of the crossbar bounce down in front of the goal line, and be cleared away.
For the second straight game, the Garnet were without their injured center back and captain Brendan Grady '08. Senior Duncan Gromko played all 90 minutes in his place and, along with Jeff Kushner '09, assumed vocal leadership over the back line.
Dickinson (3-3, 0-1 CC) finished the match with a 19-5 shot advantage and took 10 corner kicks to Swarthmore's zero.
Swarthmore (5-1, 1-0 CC) will continue its three-game road trip to kick off the Centennial Conference season next Saturday night at Gettysburg at 7:00 p.m. The Bullets also won their conference opener, 2-1 over Haverford in double overtime.