#7 BW Men’s Soccer Team Rallies to Defeat Westminster (Pa.), 3-2, for Best Start in School History
BEREA, OHIO -- The seventh-ranked (www.nscaa.com Division III national poll) Baldwin Wallace University men’s soccer team erased a 2-1 halftime deficit to defeat Westminster (Pa.) College by a score of 3-2 this evening (Saturday, September 27, 2008) in Berea. The Yellow Jackets improved to 9-0-0 overall, marking the best start in school history.
Westminster went ahead at 24:55 of the first half when Garrett Horvath scored unassisted from 25 yards out. BW quickly answered at the 27:28 mark when sophomore forward Tyler Leister (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls) scored on a header following an Andy Synk (Strongsville) free-kick. Synk leads the Jackets in 2008 with eight assists.
The Titans regained the lead at the end of the half when Ian Hill scored unassisted at 42:27 of the period, but the Yellow Jackets pulled even once again when freshman forward Carlin Vandendriessche (Medina/Senior) scored his team-best sixth goal of the season off of an assist from Leister at 52:25 of the second half.
The game remained tied and seemed destined for overtime until BW senior midfielder Cory Kovach (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) knocked home the game-winner with just 4:56 remaining on the clock. Senior midfielder Jim Synk (Strongsville) picked up his third assist in 2008 to aid the clincher.
In goal for BW, junior Russ Mika (Medina/ Senior) faced four Titan shots in the second half and picked up two saves to improve to 5-0 on the year. Sophomore Zachary Ryman (Casstown/Troy) started and totaled four saves in the first half.
Both teams totaled 15 shots while Westminster won the corner kick battle, 3-2.
After nine matches in 2008, the trio of Andy Synk, Vandendriessche, and Leister lead the Jackets with 12 total points.
BW returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at St. Vincent College of Pennsylvania. The game is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. and will be followed by the Yellow Jacket women versus St. Vincent at 7:00 p.m. One week from today, BW begins its 2008 Ohio Athletic Conference schedule against Mount Union College at 7:00 p.m. in Berea.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact BW Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX machine at 440-826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To contact Head Coach Reid Ayers, please call 440-826-3839 or e-mail at rayers@bw.edu. You can get all of the latest BW athletics information by visiting our Athletics Web site HomePage at www.bw.edu/athletics