Royals Knock Gophers Out on Senior Day

On a day when Goucher honored its graduating seniors (Elton Kativhu (Harare, Zimbabwe), Sam Bloxam (Center Valley Pa.), Scott Mt. Pleasant (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and Drew Philips (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.) Goucher College men's soccer team (6-5-4, Landmark 1-3-2) lost 3-1 to the Royals from Scranton University (9-6-0, Landmark 2-3-0) Saturday afternoon at Beldon Field in a Landmark Conference battle of two teams fighting for the fourth and final playoff spot.

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Royals Knock Gophers Out on Senior Day
October 21, 2017
TOWSON, Md. - On a day when Goucher honored its graduating seniors (Elton Kativhu (Harare, Zimbabwe), Sam Bloxam (Center Valley Pa.), Scott Mt. Pleasant (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and Drew Philips (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.) Goucher College men's soccer team (6-5-4, Landmark 1-3-2) lost 3-1 to the Royals from Scranton University (9-6-0, Landmark 2-3-0) Saturday afternoon on Beldon Field in a Landmark Conference battle of two teams fighting for the fourth and final playoff spot.
 
Both teams played evenly in the first half and each had goal scoring opportunities.  Goucher had three scoring opportunities late in the first half with 2 shots in succession that were blocked by Scranton defenders in the box, taken by junior Dalen Thompson (Maple Wood, N.J.) and sophomore Brandon Cohen (Redondo Beach, Ca.); and a shot by junior Brandon Renderos (Rockville, Md.) that required a diving save from the Royal goalkeeper Blake Hammert.
 
With 30 seconds remaining in the first half, off a direct kick from the left-hand side of the box, Royal midfielder Jarred Corbett served the ball to the far right post and Liam Flynn volleyed it into the left-hand side of the goal to give Scranton a 1-0 lead.  The Royals outshot the Gophers 8-6 in the first stanza.
 
Five minutes into the second half, Goucher had a brilliant scoring opportunity that deflected off the left post on a shot from first-year Vinay Chandra (Clarksville, Md.). Scranton's counter-attack off this shot managed to take that rebound all the way back down the field and score against Goucher, stretching the Royals lead to 2-0.  From that point forward the Gophers pushed up and pressured relentlessly.  Scranton continued to counter.  But, finally, the Gopher pressure produced a goal at 88:33 when Cohen beat a defender and slipped the ball to sophomore Moibanda Rogers (Leicester, England) on the right side of the goal who beat the Scranton keeper, making the score 2-1.
 
Despite everyone pushing forward, it was the Royals who struck last as they scored with two seconds remaining as James Harris intercepted a Gopher pass and shot it into an empty net.
 
Scranton had 19 shots in the game to Goucher's 15.  Goucher Junior goalkeeper Daniel Hendry (Lewisburg, Pa.) made seven saves during the contest, 4 during the second half.
 
Goucher's next contest will take place on Tuesday, October 24th on Beldon Field against Washington College at 7 pm.