BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg men's soccer team responded from a first-half deficit to come away with a 2-1 win at Steph Pettit Stadium against Millersville on Saturday.
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The Huskies (5-5-5, 1-3-3 PSAC East) gave up a goal to the Marauders (10-4-1, 5-3 PSAC East) in the 24th minute. The visitor's goal was a wake-up call for Bloomsburg and reinvigorated the team for the remainder of the contest. The Huskies equalized in the 35th minute off the foot of
Julian Dix (Gambrills, Md./Crofton) to send the match into halftime at 1-1. In the 71st minute,
Zayd DeVeaux (Philadelphia, Pa./Springside Chestnut Hill Academy) put away the go-ahead goal, as Bloomsburg hunkered down for the remainder of the match to come out on top.
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How It Happened:
Millersville came out of the gates fully operating on Saturday, setting the early tempo of the match. The Marauders had the Huskies backed into their defensive third for much of the first 15 minutes of the match, including the first of four saves on the day for
Drew Offenberg (Monroe Twp, N.J./Monroe Twp). Millersville had only two shots in that stretch, but the visitors established their game plan.
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As time passed, Bloomsburg was able to settle into the rhythm of the match. The Huskies were inches away from the opener in the 16th minute on two occasions within seconds of one another.
Owen Hollobaugh (State College, Pa./State College) and DeVeaux linked up after Bloomsburg intercepted a pass from the Marauders' build-up play from the backline. Hollobaugh played DeVeaux down the right wing with a pass from the half line. DeVeaux settled onto the ball and put a pass to Hollobaugh's feet on the edge of the 18-yard box, with the forward's strike rattling the crossbar.
Caleb Sitler (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) attempted to put the rebound away, but his shot went left of the net.
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Millersville made the Huskies pay for their miss, as the Marauders took advantage of their next attack to go up 1-0. The Marauders were able to get the ball down the left flank deep in the final third despite back-and-forth jockeying on the ball. A lay-off pass in the corner gave Millersville space to drive along the endline and play a pass centrally. The first shot by the Marauders' Juan Ortiz Escobar was stopped by Offenberg, but the forward won the race to the loose ball and made his second attempt count, despite another touch by the Bloomsburg goalkeeper.
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Despite the setback, the Huskies were more determined to find a path onto the scoreboard. A combined offensive and defensive effort from Bloomsburg, as Millersville showed signs of complacency following the goal. Bloomsburg racked up more near-misses, with a header from
Andrew Beagle (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) just outside the six-yard box hitting the left post less than two minutes later, while a well-struck strike from over 20 yards from
Finn Garner (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) whizzed just outside of the right post in the 33rd minute.
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From a throw-in by
Drew Hollida (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake),
Alex Hess (Oyster Bay, N.Y./Oyster Bay), having been in the contest for a mere 10 seconds, played a little one-two with Garner to get behind several Marauder defenders in the box. Hess took a crack at goal, with his shot taking a deflection and bouncing off the right post. The ball dropped into the six-yard box, and in a scramble, Dix managed to work past a shielding defender and get his right foot into position to poke home the finish into the right side of the net for a 1-1 tie.
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With a rejuvenated spirit, Bloomsburg was back into the match and looked to put the pieces together to build a win. Entering the 41st minute, the Huskies kept the Millersville attack in check and without a shot for almost 17 minutes after the goal. The Marauders had the best chance in the closing moments of the opening half, as a free kick blocked off the wall was easily secured by Offenberg, sending the match into halftime knotted up.
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The Huskies' ambition and ability to create a second goal were evident, as the same fire after the Millersville goal sweltered in the second half. Bloomsburg began the 45-minute descent with a clear-cut chance, with the team able to maintain possession after a punt down the right flank immediately following the second-half kickoff. Beagle was played down the wing, and his cross had enough air to find a leaping Sitler all alone in the middle of the box. The forward's header attempt lacked enough power and aim, finishing in the goalkeeper's hands instead of the back of the net.
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The chances in the opening minutes of the second half began to add up quickly. Millersville responded to one goal-scoring chance with another, as a shot from the Marauders skipped outside of its intended target of the bottom-left corner. The Huskies had arguably an even better chance then there first in the half, as Sitler turned provider for Beagle, but his chance near the goal mouth was hoofed over the crossbar.
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Millersville nearly capitalized on its own chaos in the box to retake the lead. A long throw-in made its way into the box and was squeezed through a host of bodies to find a free player in the center. The first-time shot came quickly, but Offenberg's timely reactions were faster. The goalkeeper was able to get his left arm extended enough to seal off the path of the ball to the bottom right corner of the goal.
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After numerous close calls, Bloomsburg found the breakthrough for its second goal in the 71st minute. DeVeaux started the entire possession with a switch of the field from the right wing to the left wing. The ball eventually made its way to Sitler, who whipped in a cross into the box. A Millersville player unconvincingly attempted to head the ball away from danger, but instead did so into the path of Beagle, with the third-year player attempting to hit the ball the first time on the volley. His effort, however fortunate, skipped right to the feet of DeVeaux, unmarked and in front of the goal. The junior did not waste the golden opportunity, slotting his right-footed finish into the bottom corner to give the Huskies the lead.
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With the lead in possession, Bloomsburg dug into the core of its team identity: defensive solidarity. The Huskies worked as a unit to keep the ball out of harm's way and give them the chance at victory. Millersville mustered three shots and one corner kick in the final 34 minutes of the contest, with Bloomsburg blocking two of those attempts. As the seconds ticked off and the final horn sounded, the Huskies came out on top.
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On the Horizon:
The Huskies return to Steph Pettit Stadium on Wednesday, October 21, at 7:00 p.m., to take on Shippensburg.
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