ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley College men's soccer team delivered a big second half to power its 4-2 victory over DeSales University in the MAC Freedom Championship Semifinal on Wednesday at Herbert Field. The win advances the Dutchmen to the MAC Freedom Championship Final on Saturday.
Lebanon Valley (13-1-4, 5-0-2 MAC Freedom) netted each of its four goals in the second stanza to defeat DeSales (5-7-5, 1-2-4 MAC Freedom) in the squad's first postseason game. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early lead with a pair of goals in the first half, taking a two-point advantage into halftime. The Flying Dutchmen answered with a dominant second frame, securing the victory with strong efforts on both sides of the ball.
DeSales opened the scoring 8:22 into the game, taking a 1-0 lead on a goal by Elek McDonald. The Bulldogs then added another tally 17:16 into the contest, extending their advantage to 2-0 on a goal by Jake Hain. The Dutchmen attempted to create some scoring chances throughout the first half, taking nine total shots. Defensively, LVC also managed to hold the opposition to just four total shots in the opening stanza. Ultimately, DeSales took its two-goal lead into the break.
Lebanon Valley got on the scoreboard early in the second half, trimming its deficit to 2-1 just 4:20 into the stanza. Sophomore
Nathan Prex got the squad's offense rolling with a shot that ended up in the left corner of the net. The team's first goal of the afternoon was assisted by graduate student
Matthew Weinstock-Collins.
The Dutchmen then tied things up 60:34 into the game, making it a 2-2 contest. Weinstock-Collins delivered a goal of his own, sending a shot past the diving attempt of the goalkeeper and into the left side of the net. Sophomore
Harrison Davis was credited with the assist on the graduate student's second goal of the year.
LVC found the net again 71:59 into the ballgame, taking a 3-2 advantage over DeSales. Sophomore
Ethan Groff put the program ahead for the first time in the game by sending the ball past the diving attempt of the goalkeeper, following an assist by sophomore
Aidan Smith. The Dutchmen then added an insurance goal with just six seconds remaining in the contest, extending their lead to 4-2 on a goal by graduate student
Lucas Strange. Senior
Aidan Negron registered the assist on the squad's final goal of the afternoon.
Lebanon Valley also utilized a strong defensive showing in the second half to help secure the semifinal win. The program held DeSales to just four shots with two shots on goal during the last 45 minutes of the contest. Senior goalkeeper
Dalton Fitterling saved both shots that came his way during the half.
Inside the Box Score
- Lebanon Valley has earned a spot in the MAC Freedom Championship during its inaugural season in the conference.
- Groff scored the go-ahead goal in the second half, marking his third goal of the year.
- Prex netted his team-leading 20th goal of the season. He also recorded the program's most shots of the game, registering 10 attempts with five shots on goal.
- Weinstock-Collins tied the game with his second goal of the season.
- Strange capped off the scoring with his sixth goal of the campaign.
- Lebanon Valley out-shot DeSales 30 to eight, including 20 attempts on goal. The program also took a total of 21 shots in the second half.
- Weinstock-Collins, Davis, Smith and Negron were credited with assists.
- LVC's defense limited the opposition to just eight total shots.
Up Next
The Dutchmen will next compete in the MAC Freedom Championship Final, which will be hosted by LVC on Saturday at Herbert Field. Lebanon Valley will take on the winner of Wednesday night's MAC Freedom Championship Semifinal matchup between Stevens Institute of Technology and Misericordia University.
Stay Connected
Be sure to follow @lvcathletics on
Instagram,
Twitter, and
Facebook for the most in-depth coverage of LVC Athletics.
