EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – Matching their highest goal total of the season, the Bloomsburg University men's soccer team rolled to their fifth-straight win with a 6-2 victory over East Stroudsburg University Wednesday evening. The Huskies improved to 9-2-1 and 5-1-1 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East action, while the Warriors dropped to 5-7 and 4-3 in conference play.
 
After a scoreless first 22 minutes, senior Stephen Hollis (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) got the Huskies on the board in a less-than-conventional way. The Huskies got the throw in about 18 yards from the goal on the near side. Hollis' throw got to the goal line and over the head of the Husky in front of the net and the ESU defender and past the goalie for the 1-0 Bloomsburg lead in the 23^rd minute of play. Just over two minutes later, the Huskies got a free kick after a hard foul on the sideline, almost in the same spot as Hollis's throw-in goal. Graduate student Olly Whitham (Clitheroe, Lancashire, England/Settle College) put the free kick into the box, and freshman Patrick Walsh (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) led the charge and headed the ball home for the 2-0 lead with 20:25 to play in the first half.
 
The Warriors looked to cut the lead in half with 15 minutes to play before the break, but sophomore goalie Brady Rimple (Cherryville, Pa./Northampton Area) stopped the only shot on net, and the Huskies' defense blocked another attempt to keep ESU off the board.
 
ESU didn't need much time to get on the board as Nathan Bradway found the back of the net with a header off of a cross 5:24 into the second half to cut the lead to 2-1.
 
The Huskies' attack continued to press, senior Liam Harmon (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg Area) got a pair of shots off that were blocked, and Shay Gillen's (Archbald, Pa./Valley View) attempt was kept out of the net thanks to the Warriors' defense.
 
Sophomore Anthony Schlee (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) pushed the lead back to two goals with what proved to be the game-winner as he put home a header off another free kick by Hollis in the 62^nd minute. Gillen's first goal of the year came four minutes later as he scored off a pass from Harmon to give BU a 4-1 lead with 25 minutes to play.
 
Hollis found the back of the net for the second time in the 74^th minute, and Whitham gave the Huskies a 6-1 lead with 15 minutes to play with his third tally of the season.
 
The Warriors got one goal back in the 77^th minute off a set play as Pieter Neerhof scored thanks to Trevor Paone's corner kick.
 
Nolan Michaels (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Vincent - St. Mary) came into goal for the Huskies to finish the game and made a save with 6:38 to play, and the Huskies walked away with a 6-2 win.
 
As a team, the Huskies held a 16-15 advantage in shots, including 11-7 shots on goal difference. Each team had five saves, while ESU held a 4-0 advantage in corner kicks. All four corners came in the second half.
 
Rimple finished the game with four saves in 78:30 and the win, while Michaels had one save in his 11:30. Raymond Fortebuoni made four saves for the Warriors.
 
Bloomsburg returns to action next Wednesday when the Huskies take a quick departure from PSAC East action and face St. Thomas Aquinas College on October 12 at 2:30 p.m. The Huskies return home on October 15 when they welcome Lock Haven to Steph Pettit Stadium for a 6:30 p.m. PSAC East game.