Box Score
ANNVILLE, Pa. - Lebanon Valley College erupted with four unanswered goals to advance in the ECAC South Men's Soccer Championships on Wednesday with a 4-2 win. After fifth-seeded DeSales opened the scoring in the 15th minute, fourth-seeded LVC rattled off four goals to take a commanding 4-1 lead. The Bulldogs climbed back within two on a goal in the 89th minute, but it was too little too late.
Travis Steedle had two goals for the Dutchmen to pace the attack. He evened the game at 1-1 in the 26th minute when he headed home a Justin Hutchinson pass cross off a set piece. Hutchinson started the play off a corner with a short entry pass. He then got the ball back and lobbed a volley towards Steedle who redirected the ball into the corner for the score. Steedle added a penalty kick in the 59th minute for the eventual game-winner. He drew a foul in the box when rushing hard to the goal. He shot low left and the keeper guessed right for the goal.
Chris Hall had given LVC a 2-1 lead in the 52nd minute with his eighth goal of the year. It was Hutchinson again on the assist, as he sent a low entry pass from the right corner into the box that was one-timed in by Hall. The assist was Hutchinson's second of the game and his 10th of the season.
AJ Hull extended the Dutchmen's lead in the 71st minute with his first goal of the season. LVC again capitalized on a close-range opportunity, as Hall's short pass was banged in on the fly by Hull.
Jonathan Balfour struck first for DeSales, hammering a shot off the crossbar and in following a loose ball in the box in the 15th minute. Sean Baker added a goal for the Bulldogs in the 89th minute, reeling in a long pass from Aaron Gildner and sending a low shot in.
After allowing the opening strike from Balfour, LVC's defense clamped down to prevent the Bulldogs from any more dangerous scoring chances until the final minutes of the match. Mark Johnson, George Andriko and Morgan Crouse did a stellar job getting to the ball in the air and making sure any second balls went LVC's way. Andrew Raudensky was ready behind them, scooping up crosses before Bulldog players could get to them.
The Dutchmen improve to 11-7-2 in 2009 and advance to the semifinals of the ECAC South Men's Soccer Championships. LVC will play the number one seed in the tournament, PSU-Behrend on Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. in one semifinal. The other semifinal will feature the winners of #3 PSU-Altoona/#6 Stevenson and #2 PSU-Abington/#7 Wesley. This marks the second time LVC has advanced to the ECAC South semifinals.
Earlier this season, LVC and PSU-Behrend played in Erie at PSU's Herb Lauffler Memorial Tournament. The Dutchmen and Lions played to a 0-0 (2 OT) tie. The Lions are 16-5-2 this year.
