Marlins find the goal nine times in win over Emory & Henry
VIRGINIA BEACH -- Emory & Henry College's men's soccer team found themselves in the wrong place on Virginia Wesleyan College's schedule.
Wrong in the sense that the host Marlins were due after a frustrating stretch of nine games that included six one-goal outcomes, five going to the opponent.
That stretch ended Saturday with Virginia Wesleyan's highest scoring contest in 29 games as the Marlins scored consisently en route to a 9-1 Old Dominion Athletic Conference victory over the Wasps on Foster Field at the Trinder Center. Ironically, the last time a VWC team scored nine of more goals was on Oct. 3, 2009, an 11-0 win over Emory & Henry.
More importantly, Saturday's win kept Virginia Wesleyan on track for a berth in the upcoming ODAC title tournament. The Marlins, now 5-10-1 overall and 3-6 in the league, can nail down that spot with a victory in the final regular season game of the season on Tuesday, Oct. 25. VWC hosts Lynchburg College at 7 p.m.
For now however, the Marlins are savoring the offensive eruption, which included a pair of goals each by rookiesIsaac Arrington (DeSoto, Texas/Midlothian, Texas) andBlake Eshelman (Columbus, Ohio/Reynoldsburg).
It all started with a senior however, as Nick Forno (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) headed the ball into the left side off a corner kick from Adam Stringer (Louisville, Ky./Eastern) in the third minute of action.
Emory & Henry (4-12, 1-8) made things interesting 18 minutes later however, when the Wasps tied the score on a header into the right side by Brian Butler (Shelby, N.C./Shelby). VWC came back with a stepped up attack, but had to settle for the tie until the 41st minute. Senior Paul Messier (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) scored from five yards out off a corner by Roberto Rosales (Eastville, Va./Northampton). Less than two minutes later the Marlins owned a 3-1 lead when Pops Richards (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) delivered the ball to a streaking Arrington who ripped it into the net from about 15 yards out.
Virginia Wesleyan dominated the first half, out-shooting the Wasps 17-3, and made it even more difficult for E&H with a 17-2 advantage in shots. The Marlins scored just 30 seconds into the half when Arrington once again scored on the run, from 10 yards away, set up by a pass from Rosales.
Rosales and rookies Jonathan Burke (Middletown, Del./Salesianum) and Chris Cooke (Hampton, Va./Phoebus) all added unassisted goals in the following 24 minutes, before Eshelman capped the afternoon's scoring. He ripped the ball into the left from 10 yards out and finished a Richards pass with a scoring shot into the right corner in the 83rd minute.
Virginia Wesleyan not only posted a 34-5 advantage in shots, but also helped itself with a 13-1 advantage in corner kicks.
Both teams used two goalies, with seniors Ryan Zmuda (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne) and Ryan Coble (Portsmouth, Va./Churchland) protecting the VWC net. Zmuda finished with two saves in 57 minutes and Coble had one. Justin Spencer (Statesville, N.C./North Iredell) started for Emory & Henry and produced 10 saves in 80 minutes. Seth Drummond (Tampa, Fla./Jesuit) finished and did not have a save.
VWC's regular season finale on Tuesday, Oct. 25, will also be Senior Night.
--AMDG--
