ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Soccer had chances, but again, the Eagles were unable to find the back of the net in a 3-0 home loss to the Swarthmore College Garnet. The visiting Garnet scored in the second minute and went up 2-0 in the 26th minute to seize control of a game.
The Garnet (8-3-1) took advantage of a short clear in the opening run of the game. Kaito Hikino picked up the loose ball and found Adrien Marcelli for a perfect finish from the left side. Evan COpe had a chance to equalize on a ball over the top in the 10th minute, but Swarthmore goalkeeper Christian Bignotti came off his line aggressively and read Cope's intentions perfectly and leaped high to take away a lofted finishing attempt.
After the Garnet doubled the lead, the Eagles had two great chances in a 30-second span to grab a goal back before the half. After
Ethan Pfau headed a cross back across the face of the goal,
Osmond Chan blistered a volley from in close that looked to be headed for the inside of the left upright. Bignotti reacted well and kept the ball out with a parried save. At the back post, Pfau won the initial ball on the ensuing corner, and Chan again was in place. His header beat Bignotti, but struck the crossbar and stayed out. The Eagles looked dangerous on each of their four first-half corner kicks.
On a free kick in the 57th minute,
Zach Chaplin had a header slide off the right upright, and the Eagles had a brilliant chance in the 72nd minute. Joåo Tarabel's free kick from the top of the box hit the wall. Moments later the Garnet found their third on a penalty kick. Marcelli created the chance on the dribble and converted from the spot.
Even down three, the Eagles showed promise going forward.
Steven Fajardo hit a ferocious volley from 15 yards out that Bignotti parried into the right post and out.
"I think we learned some things today," Head Coach
Luca Mellor said after the match. "We've got big conference match-ups coming up. The teams we have to get results against are at this level. We showed what we can do, but we have to do it in those games."
The eagles will host York College in a Homecoming match on Saturday at 4:00 pm.
