Shoremen Score Once in Each Half, Blank Gophers

CHESTERTOWN, Md. — Little separated Goucher and Washington (Md.) on the stat sheet this afternoon. The Gophers held a slim 13-12 advantage in shots, each team earned five corner kicks and each directed five shots on goal.

In the end, it was the Shoremen who took advantage of their limited opportunities, manufacturing a goal in each half en route to a 2-0 home victory.

Goucher (2-2) drops back to .500 after its first completed road game of the season. The team's previously scheduled road opener at Cairn last Saturday was called early in the second half due to lightning.

"Today was a tough loss," head coach Bryan Laut said. "I thought we played really well for most of the game and was proud of our effort. Unfortunately, we couldn't step up and make a play while Washington did a great job making the most of its chances."

Washington (3-1) did not manage a shot on goal until there was just over one minute remaining in the opening half. That shot, however, gave the Shoremen the lead, with Bob Libera heading a shot past Gopher goalie Nicholas Stolarz (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson).

Goucher had several chances to level the score after the intermission. Lashaw Salta (Allen, Texas/Plano East) forced a save out of Washington goalie Lin Robinson from inside the box in the 52nd minute, and Marco Grotti (Milmay, N.J./Millville) had a shot blocked in front of goal less than three minutes afterwards.

Tate Becker (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch) also had a free header sent just wide in the 64th minute, and Salta had another header saved by Robinson on the Gophers' next free kick opportunity.

The Shoremen doubled their advantage in the 72nd minute on a long range free kick. Washington's Zach Stocksdale sent it in, and Stolarz collided with a fellow defender as the ball slipped into the net.

Goucher had one last chance to get on the scoreboard in the 86th minute, but a header from Scott Mt. Pleasant (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) was directed over the goal.

This is the second straight victory for the Shoremen over the Gophers. They now have a 13-9-1 advantage in the all-time series record between the two squads.

Goucher returns to Beldon Field at 1 p.m. Saturday for a non-conference matchup against Gettysburg. The Gophers pulled out 1-0 road victory over the Bullets when the two teams met last fall.