Marlins roll in 7-1 victory over Marymount
VIRGINIA BEACH -- Virginia Wesleyan College's men's soccer team scored an assortment of goals Sunday in an impressive 7-1 victory over Marymount University, but the "highlight reel" tally was probably the final goal of the game for the Marlins.
Rookie Tyler Russell (Perry Hall, Md./Perry Hall) put a foot into the ball from about 25 yards out on the right, sending it toward the mouth of the goal where another VWC rookie met it head on. Literally. Blake Eshelman (Columbus, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) dove to his left to meet the ball, heading it into the back of the net to give VWC a 7-1 lead in the 82nd minute.
The capping goal was part of another standout effort by the Marlins (2-2), who played the entire second half and the final eight minutes of the first half a man down because of a red card violation. But, instead of opening the door for the visiting Saints on Foster Field at the Trinder Center, it only spurred the Marlins who scored four goal minus a man on the field.
The final seven goal output was the highest by a VWC since 2009 when the Marlins scored eight in an 8-1 win over Ferrum College. The victory also improved Virginia Wesleyan's series record to 6-0 in the series with Marymount. The Saints, who dropped a 2-1 decision the night before to No. 3-ranked Christopher Newport University, dropped to 1-2-1.
SeniorJohn McKenzie (Virginia Beach/Landstown) put Virginia Wesleyan on the scoreboard in the seventh minute, ripping in a hard shot from about 10 yards out. The Marlins rode that lead for the next 20+ minutes when McKenzie helped set up the Marlins' second score with a pass to Brian Cornell (Front Royal, Va./Warren County). Cornell caught the Marymount defense off guard and fired a shot from about 25 yards out into the left side.
That set the tone for the remainder of the game, which saw VWC make it a 3-0 lead less than two minutes later. It was McKenzie scoring again on a run down the middle, letting the ball fly into the net on a hard, 20-yard shot.
Rookie Tanner East (Salisbury, Md./Parkside) scored in the 42nd minute off a pass from senior Paul Messier (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park), and Eshelman tallied in the 44th minute off an assist from Adam Stringer (Louisville, Ky./Eastern) to open up a 5-0 lead at halftime.
Marymount averted the shutout with a score by Kjell Crooke (Vienna, Va./James Madison) in the 62nd minute. But, Cornell tallied in the 74th minute for VWC on a penalty kick and Eshelman capped scoring with this diving header in the 82nd minute.
VWC head coach Mike McFarland utilized his deep, talented bench, as 24 Marlins played in the game. Chris Cooke (Hampton, Va./Phoebus), Jared Watson (Suffolk, Va./Nansemond River), and Philip Smith (Fredericksburg, Va./Massaponax) were among the newcomers turning in solid efforts in their first appearances on the home field.
Virginia Wesleyan out-shot Marymount 15-10 and held a 4-2 edge in corner kicks.
Senior Jay Coble (Portsmouth, Va./Churchland), senior Ryan Zmuda (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne), and sophomore Scott Westfall (Allen, Texas/Trinity Christian) all clocked time in the goal for VWC and combined for four saves. Mike Madigan (Bristow, Va./Brentsville) and Alexander Cortez (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) protected the Marymount goal and recorded two saves.
Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition on Wednesday, Sept. 14, opening Old Dominion Athletic Conference competition against Hampden-Sydney College at 7 p.m. at the Trinder Center.
--AMDG--
