BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - No. 3 seed Bloomsburg men's soccer season ended following a back-and-forth, 1-0 defeat to No. 6 Felician Sunday afternoon.
The winning strike came in the closing minutes of the contest, with Massimo Girardi able to elevate over the backtracking Huskies defense. The forward headed the ball over to the Golden Falcon's leading goalscorer, Hugo Rodriguez, with the attacking midfielder able to slot the ball into the bottom right corner to secure the game-winner in the 83rd minute.
Bloomsburg finishes another historic season with a record of 15-4-2 after claiming the first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title in program history. Felician moves onto the NCAA Tournament Third Round, continuing its own historic campaign at 17-3-2
How It Happened:
The Huskies were forced onto the back foot in the first half, playing into the wind against an aggressively pressing Golden Falcons front. The opening 11 minutes of the match belonged to Felician, with the visitors able to play the ball forward and pepper goalkeeper Brady Rimple (Cherryville, Pa./Northampton Area). The Golden Falcons' early chances all came from long-range shots near or outside the box.
Bloomsburg made its first efforts on goal into the 16th minute, taking advantage of set pieces for the opening cracks. Patrick Walsh (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) and Alex Wilsterman (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) each attempted to follow through on net in a rush to the ball, with Wilsterman's attempt directed out of play for a corner. The Huskies evened the shot total at 3-3 after an ensuing effort from Graiden Carter (Bucks County, Pa./Central Bucks East), but that would end Bloomsburg's threat on goal in the opening half.
The elements hampered the Huskies' desire to get up the field and allowed Felician the time and opportunity to work on the offensive end. Nearing 40 minutes into the contest, Rimple was called into action, making two stops on attempts from Girardi. The Golden Falcons' shot attempts drifted off target as the halftime whistle blew at 0-0.
The second half was a more scrappy affair, with the two teams mustering a combined eight shots in the final half of regulation. Bloomsburg, now attacking into the wind, was able to play into its strength and garner an array of set pieces to threaten the Felician defense and goalkeeper Emmanuele Moretti.
The first shot of the second half did not come until Owen Hollobaugh (State College, Pa./State College) collected the ball in the center of the park and followed through with a lobbed effort with Moretti off his line. The Golden Falcons' shot-stopper got just enough of his hand on the ball to deflect the ball and deny the opening score. That pressure in the offensive end led to another threatening throw-in from the Huskies, this time with Walsh's header aimed for the top-right corner cleared away by the Felician defense.
Rimple and Girardi each were forced to come up with stops for their sides, with Rimple stopping Girardi for a third time and Wilsterman not getting enough power for his side on a touch at the back post to pull Moretti out of position. With time winding down, Bloomsburg continued to find opportunities from set pieces and send men forward. The space in the backline provided a golden chance for the Falcons. Unable to find his way toward the back of the net, Girardi turned provider for Felician to set up Rodriguez and net the lone goal of the match with just over seven minutes remaining on the scoreboard.
Facing an uphill battle, Bloomsburg remained in the fight until the closing moments. The Golden Falcons shielded the ball well from the pressing Huskies to hold possession, limiting any last-ditch effort to force overtime. Parker Nickelsen (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) rattled off one last long shot off his right foot, but the clock ticked as the match concluded.
Numbers of Note:
10-3 - Bloomsburg's offensive efforts led to a slow start in Sunday's contest and put pressure on the Huskies in the second half. With much of the possession through the first 45 minutes, Felician finished with a 10-3 shot advantage in the first half. The match ended with a 13-8 edge favoring the Golden Falcons after a 5-3 difference for Bloomsburg in the second half.
1-0 - With seasons at stake, the matchup between the two teams seemed likely to come down to a narrow margin. Sunday's 1-0 scoreline is not unfamiliar in the series, with games between the sides have ended 1-0 in the last four meetings, favoring Felician the last three times out.
