SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The 12th-ranked Hobart soccer team scored twice in the second half as it knocked off Skidmore 2-0 in a Liberty League contest on Wachenheim Field this afternoon. With the win, the Statesmen are now 10-2-1 overall with a 3-2-1 record in conference play.
Sophomore
Gabe Smith and junior
Brady Leitner had the goals for the Statesmen. Junior
Jake Hans started in goal and made seven saves as he earned his fourth shutout of the season.
Rowan McLear played all 90 minutes in goal for the Thoroughbreds (4-5-3, 1-2-1).
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Skidmore finished the game with a 19-9 advantage in shots, including a 7-5 edge in shots on goal.
- The Thoroughbreds had seven corner kicks, and the Statesmen had four.
FIRST HALF
- Skidmore held the early territory advantage in the game, recording the first five shots of the game.
- In the third minute, Gavin Wheeler's shot was punched over the crossbar by Hans. On the ensuing corner kick, Hans made a diving stop on a shot from Dylan Moore.
- Twenty seconds later, Simon Failla rang a shot off the crossbar and Evan Riccelli sent the rebound wide left. Colin Goodhines also had a shot sail wide right of the net.
- Senior Quinn Phillips had Hobart's first chance in the ninth minute, but his shot just missed the crossbar. Two minutes later, junior Griffin Coutts also had a shot sail wide right.
- Junior Will Slayton had Hobart's best chance in the 44th minute, but his shot was smothered by McLear.
SECOND HALF
- Skidmore had two golden opportunities in the 51st minute. Failla had a shot blocked by a Hobart defender. Quinn McInerney picked up the rebound, but had his shot stopped by a diving Hans.
- Hobart broke the deadlock in the 57th minute. Smith picked up a loose ball, dribbled around a defender, and fired a shot from near the penalty spot into the bottom-right corner of the net. It was his fourth goal of the season.
- Hans made another key stop in the 62nd minute when he dove to his right to stop a shot from Nathan Gritzmacher.
- In the middle portion of the first half, Daniel Scali and Leitner had chances smothered by McLear.
- Leitner sealed the victory for Hobart in the 80th minute. He collected a pass from Phillips and buried a shot in the left corner of the cage. It was Leitner's team-leading seventh goal of the season.
COACH'S CORNER
"I'm super pleased with the performance of the entire team today," The Thomas B. Poole '61 and Family Head Coach of Hobart Soccer
Shawn Griffin said. "Skidmore is a good side and very well coached. Our attention now turns to another tough Liberty League opponent in Vassar next Saturday on the road."
UP NEXT
Hobart will be back in action on Saturday, Oct. 17, when it heads to Poughkeepsie, New York, to take on Vassar. The Liberty League contest is set to begin at 2 p.m.
