For the third time this Fall, Eastern University and Cabrini College squared off in athletic competition. Eastern Volleyball and Women's Soccer claimed victories in the earlier Eagle Road battles, but the host Cavaliers claimed a 2-1 win in this evening's men's soccer contest in front of a capacity crowd.
Throughout the preseason and the early part of the year, the Eastern University men's soccer staff has stressed to their squad the importance of defending and attacking restarts. On an evening when the Eastern squad carried much of the play, the host Cavaliers took advantage of a pair of free kick chances from what appeared to be fairly benign spots to seize a 2-0 lead with 35 minutes to play. The Eagles cut the lead in half with six minutes to play, but the deficit was too big.
The Eagles had a trio of good chances with the game level. The first came midway through the period when freshman midfielder Ryan Rohrer earned the box on the dribble and and lost his footing after beating the final defender. Shortly thereafter, Drew Bixler whipped a scalding low cross into the scoring area, but a lunging Cabrini defender was able to poke the ball clear. The Eagles then earned a free kick right at the top of the box with 17 minutes to play. Ben Faro's free kick sailed high, and the game remained knotted.
The tight field and electric atmosphere of the game led to numerous collisions. With the reduced length of the field, every restart in the front half would be a serve to the box. The Cavaliers capitalized on a free kick from near midfield for their first goal. Andrew Jacobs got his head on a long serve to the back post and flicked the ball into the path of Brian Raffle. The senior midfielder curled a redirection just inside the back post.
Braden Gross looked destined to tie the game when he cut back the final defender at a tight angle with four minutes to play, but Cabrini's Bryan Johnson stood his ground and made the save at the near post. The game went to the break with the Cavaliers up 1-0, but with the Eagles applying most of the pressure.
The second half resumed with the Eagles again spending much of the time with the ball, but failing to find the final pass to get behind a patient Cabrini back line. Ten minutes in, after an Eastern foul at midfield, the Cavaliers struck on another long restart. Troy Allen boomed a high ball into the box. A couple odd deflections and a well-taken half-chance from King Seah gave the hosts a two-goal cushion.
While the Eagles increased their pressure steadily after the second goal, the game did not find frenzied pace again until Faro volleyed home a Josh Martin cross with 6:21 on the clock. A minute later, Terry Fry eluded a group of defenders and blasted a high shot from 15 yards out that Johnson parried over the bar.
The Eagles will look to bounce back when they host Gettysburg College on Wednesday afternoon.
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