ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– In a game it needed to win, Eastern University Men's Soccer settled for a 1-1 draw against the visiting Widener University Pride. The Eagles scored first and created chances late, but a Widener goal early in the second half meant the points in the match would be split, and the Eagles would be eliminated from post-season contention.
In order to deal with Widener's high-powered attack, the Eagles (4-7-4, 1-4-1) sat deeper to start the match. The tactical change kept the Pride off balance and gave the Eagles extra numbers around the ball to limit chances. Both teams put only one shot on goal in the first half.
The Eagles only shot on frame, however, was special. In the 12th minute,
Aidan Link received a pass from
Zach Sievert about twenty-five yards from goal. Link pushed the ball to his right and launched a bending effort that beat the Widener goalkeeper to the back post. The goal is the third of the year for the graduate student from Perkasie. It was his first in the run of play since he scored three times in 2019.
Looking into the low sun, the Eagles defended well through the end of the first half and went to the locker room with their slim post-season hopes alive.
Shortly after the intermission, the Pride (12-2-2, 3-1-2) broke through on a big switching ball to the back post and a good finish.
Over the next 20 minutes, Eastern continued to utilize the difficult sun and counter through
Osmond Chan and
Zach Sievert in central space. Those movements created some half-chances, but nothing that resulted in a shot on frame.
As the match moved past the hour mark, the Eagles pressed forward further. This move put pressure on Matt Foxworth,
Parker Walls, and
Steven Fajardo in the back, but the trio stood strong and kept balls moving forward. Eastern earned a pair of corner kicks and generated shots from Chan and Matt Capuano.
Ethan Far was ruled offside on a very promising play in the 88th minute. Shortly after that, the Eagles needed a great save from
Ty Bleiler to keep the game level. Bleiler made his second stop of the match in the final minute.
The draw limits the Eagles to a max of seven points in the league which would not be enough to work into the top four.
Eastern will close out the season at Albright on Saturday night.
