Box Score
ONEONTA, N.Y.—The Hobart College soccer team was edged 1-0 by Penn State Behrend in a NCAA Men's Soccer Championship first round match. The Statesmen came close to scoring, hitting the post in the final seconds, but the Lions hung on for the win.
The Statesmen were making their sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Hobart finished its season with a 16-4-0 overall record. The Lions advance to the second round where they will face Oneonta tomorrow, Nov. 13. The Red Dragons defeated Baldwin Wallace 2-1 in the other first round game played in Oneonta this afternoon.
Hobart was awarded a corner kick with just over one minute to go in the match. The first shot came by Hobart goalie senior
Alex Witherell who came up to give the Statesman an extra attacker in the box. That shot was blocked and senior
Michael Moulton lined up a shot that was blocked. The third attempt came off the foot of first-year
Bernard Abagali and it banged off the left post. On the ensuing action the Penn State Behrend defense was able to clear and the final horn sounded, ending the game.
The Lions scored 17:17 into the match. Penn State Behrend played a long ball into the box that was headed by Garrett Fiscus, but not controlled. Peter Brower was able to recover the bouncing ball and flicked it over a Hobart defender before dropping a pass to a charging Jimmy Belack who one-touched it to the far left post where it deflected off the inside of the post and into the back of the goal.
Hobart turned up the offensive pressure in the second half and seemed to have the Lions on their heels. The Statesman out-shot the Lions, 7-1 in the second stanza. Hobart had an opportunity in the 80th minute. Senior
Lukas Petersen sent a ball into the box where
Caetano Sanchez misfired, but the ball was over Penn State Behred's keeper Chris Bolea's head and it landed on the line and he was able to secure the loose ball before it crossed into the goal.
The Statesmen held an 11-7 advantage in shots. Each team took six corner kicks. Witherell finished with two saves in all 90 minutes in goal for Hobart. Bolea stopped two shots in goal for the Lions.
