Sophomores Send Swat to Success at Shore
CHESTERTOWN, Md. -- Garnet sophomore forward Andreas Lagos came of the bench to score two second-half goals while classmate Morgan Langley added three assists, as Swarthmore downed Washington, 4-1, in Centennial men's soccer action Wednesday night.
The Garnet (7-2-1, 2-1 CC) opened up October with its sixth victory in eight matches, sending the hometown Shoremen to a 2-6 overall record, 0-3 in the Conference.
The two sides took turns feeling out defensive holes (shots sat 8-5 in Swarthmore’s favor) in the first half, with the visitors looking to the air for a goal. A swooping feed off the foot of Garnet senior Jeff Kushner (Norristown, Pa. / Methacton), crossed from the left flank into the top of the Shoremen box. Washington’s goalkeeper got caught off his line and an alert Dylan Langley (Honolulu, Hawaii / Iolani School) popped a header into the net at 30:18. The Swarthmore junior captain scored for the second consecutive match.
The Swarthmore defensive backline kept the affair scoreless at halftime, covering the back post for a vulnerable D’Annunzio, on the ground protecting the front post. A Washington’s Kevin Rodriguez touched the ball towards the open net mouth but Garnet back Jason Thrope (Port Washington, N.Y. / Schreiber) swooped in and cleared the sure goal away just inches from the line.
The Garnet got another goal at the start of the second half. Forward Morgan Langley ’11 (Honolulu, Hawaii / Iolani School) found senior midfielder Yoi Tibbets (Sandwich, Mass. / Sandwich) streaking down the left side at 49:02. Tibbets tucked the ball in the near panel for his first goal of the season to hand Swarthmore a two-goal advantage.
The Shoremen countered with a goal 91 seconds later, converting a corner kick. Freshman defender Jordan Haas found senior Brian Daver alone at the top of the Garnet box. Daver one-touched a shot towards the net, drawing D’Annunzio off his line. Washington sophomore Gavin Rayburn deflected the ball off its original course, finding a quicker way into the net, at 50:23.
The Swarthmore turned Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium into a shooting gallery, accounting for 18 second-half shots, on the way to a season-high 26 attempts. Lagos charged up the Garnet offense, sounding his first two trumpets of collegiate soccer—goals—in just over two minutes. Both scores came attached to assists again by Morgan Langley: the first Lagos’ horn sound on a rebound put-back and the second one-touched home Morgan Langley’s drop across the goal mouth. With his 10th career assist, Morgan Langley joins five other Garnet men student-athletes in eighth place all-time (records since 1981), he also entered the single-season all-time list marking his sixth assist of the year.
D’Annunzio made one stop in the net for Swarthmore while Washington counterpart Chris Phipps posted nine saves.
The Garnet continue their recent road exodus, bussing to a game for the fifth time in seven contests on Saturday afternoon. Swarthmore will be at Gettysburg for an important 7:30 p.m. Centennial contest with possible Conference playoff implications.
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