ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s soccer team secured a hard-fought 3-2 win against Lancaster Bible College on Saturday, October 5. Despite being reduced to 10 players for the second consecutive game, the Seahawks remained resilient, moving to 2-0-0 in United East Conference (UEC) play. The victory brings their overall record to 3-6-2, as Lancaster Bible falls to 3-6-1 and 1-2-0 in the UEC.
Key Moments
The Seahawks gained an early lead in the 13th minute when senior forward Abdoul Anounkou assisted sophomore Lucas Evans for his first goal of the season. Evans capitalized on Anounkou’s setup, providing St. Mary’s a 1-0 advantage.
Lancaster Bible came close to leveling the score twice in the first half, with both chances coming through Dan Marcroft. His first effort in the 10th minute was denied by sophomore goalkeeper Jordon Eckman, while his second attempt in the 19th minute rattled the crossbar.
St. Mary’s held their 1-0 lead until the 53rd minute when Marcroft finally found the back of the net for the Chargers, slotting in a pass from Andrew Cox to tie the game at 1-1. The Chargers’ equalizer was short-lived as the Seahawks regained the lead in the 62nd minute. Junior defender Jack Nelson, stationed at the far post, redirected a corner kick from senior forward Alex Ochman into the goal, making it 2-1.
The Seahawks’ task became even more difficult when first-year player Zach Blaum received his second yellow card in the 70th minute, leaving the team down to 10 men for the remainder of the game. However, St. Mary’s extended their lead to 3-1 in the 76th minute when sophomore Franco Reyes tapped in a loose ball, giving the Seahawks a crucial two-goal cushion.
Lancaster Bible was awarded a penalty kick in the 88th minute, which Ben Nolt converted, narrowing the score to 3-2. Despite the late surge from the Chargers, St. Mary’s held on to claim the victory.
Game Statistics
Both teams ended the match with 15 total shots, while Lancaster Bible held a slight advantage in shots on goal, edging St. Mary’s 7-6. However, the Seahawks dominated in corner kicks, taking seven to the Chargers’ one.
Evans led the Seahawks’ offense with four shots, while Reyes’ second-half goal proved to be the game-winner. Eckman made four saves during the contest, keeping St. Mary’s in control for much of the game.
On the opposing side, Marcroft was a standout performer for Lancaster Bible, registering six shots, four of which were on target, and contributing a goal. Goalkeeper Luke Macchione made three saves for the Chargers, who suffered their second consecutive defeat.
Next Up
St. Mary’s College will travel to Washington, D.C. to face Gallaudet University on October 8 at 6:00 p.m. on Hotchkiss Field. The Seahawks will then continue their road trip with a game against Penn State Brandywine on October 12 in Media, Pa., kicking off at 3:30 p.m.
