Garnet Reel in Shoremen
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Senior Michael Bonesteel (Clifton Park, NY / LaSalle Institute) hit the top corner from 30 yards out in the 19th minute and the Garnet never looked back, taking a 2-0 decision over Centennial Conference rival Washington College on a warm night at Clothier Stadium.
The victory evens Swarthmore's conference record at 1-1-1 (6-1-3 overall) and places them in the thick of the conference playoff race.
After earning just one point in their first two conference games, Swarthmore knew it was business time and took firm control of the match right from the outset, holding the Shoremen without a shot for nearly 38 minutes while taking 14 of their own.
Bonesteel's goal was the culminating play in an impressive Garnet fast break. Deep in the Swarthmore end, junior Chris Szeto (Chapel Hill, NC / East Chapel Hill) kicked the ball nearly 40 yards upfield to classmate Stu Leon (Wrentham, MA / King Phillip Regional). Leon made a clean trap and sent the ball on a diagonal across the field to Bonesteel, who took care of the rest.
The Garnet were poised to score a second goal in the 30th minute as junior Yoi Tibbetts (Sandwich, MA / Sandwich) bore down on Washington goalkeeper Marc Petrucci (Avondale, PA / Avon Grove). Tibbetts was winding up for a shot when he was taken down from behind and awarded a penalty kick. The junior took the kick himself and left no doubt, banging it well out of Petrucci's reach and giving the Garnet a 2-0 lead.
Washington kept fighting for the full 90 minutes and nearly pulled within one in the 68th minute, but Garnet sophomore Zach Weimar (Rutledge, PA / Friends Central) dove and knocked Brian Denver's (Bethany Beach, DE / St. Alban's (DC)) shot just wide.
Garnet starting goalkeeper Ryan Sutcliffe '08 (Milford, DE / Milford) did not have to make a save in his 45 minutes of work. Weimar entered at halftime and notched two saves to preserve the shutout.
Petrucci kept the match close with an impressive 9-save performance. Junior Brian Schultz (Baltimore, MD / Calvert Hall) took a pair of shots to lead the Shoremen offense.
Swarthmore finished the match with a 27-5 advantage in shots and a 7-4 edge in corner kicks.
The Garnet will look to keep their offensive momentum going into Saturday night when they host conference rival Gettysburg College in a 7:00 p.m. match.