Swarthmore Rides Ladule to Win Over Thoroughbreds
SARATOGA, N.Y. -- Swarthmore junior Ladule Lako Lo Sarah (Davis, Calif./ Claremont High School) continued his breakout year with a pair of first-half goals, leading the Garnet (3-0-1) to a 2-0 lead over Skidmore (0-3) on a warm Friday evening.
Skidmore was the aggressor early on, blasting a pair of shots high and wide in the first five minutes. The Garnet began to have more offensive success by frequently changing the point of attack. In the 18th minute, junior Evan Nesterak (Parker, Colo./ Ponderosa) found freshman Toby Resch (Darmstadt, Germany/ Ludwig-Georgs-Gymnasium) just outside the 18-yard line, but Resch's attempt was saved by Thoroughbred goalkeeper Jake Densen (Summit, N.J./Summit).
Both goalkeepers were active on balls coming into the box; Swarthmore's Zach Weimar (Rutledge, Pa./ Friends Central) grabbed a pair of long throw-ins, while Densen picked off a free kick, reaching over the top of several Garnet heads.
With 18:15 on the clock, Skidmore was whistled for a foul just outside the box on the right side. Just off the bench, Lo Sarah took the direct kick left-footed and snuck a low, bending ball between Densen and the near post. Densen was injured on the play and was replaced by Steve Vazquez (Central Falls, RI/Moses Brown School).
Just under three minutes later, the ball came free at the edge of the Skidmore box. Vazquez and Garnet freshman Morgan Langley (Honolulu, Hawaii/ Iolani School) raced to the ball, and Vazquez arrived just in time to deny Langley's shot attempt. The ball ricocheted to the left to a wide-open Lo Sarah, who wasted no time in hitting, a high, arcing shot into the empty net for his second tally of the match.
Skidmore nearly got on the board in the 38th minute after a pretty cross found freshman Shane Minte (Yarmouth, Maine/Yarmouth) in traffic right in front of the goal, but Weimar held his ground and came up with the save. Weimar completed a very solid half by boxing away another long throw-in with two minutes to go.
Lo Sarah nearly completed the hat trick with five minutes left in the half but saw his shot sail just high, and Swarthmore settled for a 2-0 lead heading into the break.
Denson reentered at the start of the second half to a barrage of Garnet shots. Junior defender Rory Stackpole (Sanford, Maine/ Sanford High School) nearly scored first career goal from 35 yards out, putting the ball just under the crossbar, but Denson punched it away. Senior forward Michael Bonesteel (Clifton Park , N.Y./ LaSalle Institute) got a clean look a few minutes later, but his attempt sailed wide.
Play became markedly more physical as the clock wound below 20 minutes. Swarthmore consistently controlled the ball through this period, stymieing any Skidmore thoughts of a comeback; the Thoroughbreds would wind up taking just three second-half shots.
Two Skidmore players nearly got a breakaway with seven minutes to play, but Garnet junior defender Jeff Kushner (Norristown, Pa./ Methacton) turned on the jets, got to the ball first, and kicked it safely away. The Thoroughbreds once again nearly got on the board in the waning minutes after miscommunication between Weimar and Kushner led to Skidmore's Albert Ottati (Richmond, Va./ MLW Governor) getting a shot at an open net from 30 yards out, but the attempt sailed well over the goal mouth.
Lo Sarah took five shots, leading the team for the third time in four games on the season. The junior, who tied for the team lead in assists as a freshman and entered the year with more assists (7) than goals (5), continued to emerge as a big-time scoring threat.
A number of Garnet first-years saw significant action in the second half, led by Andreas Lagos '11 (Dunedin, Fla./ Palm Harbor University High School), who played active soccer at the forward position.
The Garnet finished the match with a 16-10 shot advantage. Weimar finished with four saves en route to his first victory and shutout of the season.
Swarthmore will spend the night in Saratoga and will return to Wachenheim Field tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 p.m. to face Montclair State.