Millersville, Pennsylvania - The Millersville men's soccer team topped West Virginia Wesleyan 3-2 Sunday with three Marauders finding the back of the net and giving Millersville a 2-0 record to start the season.
Despite falling behind 1-0 in the 20th minute, Millersville scored three goals in a row to hold a commanding two goal lead in the 78th minute. The Bobcats responded quickly by cutting the deficit to one just two minutes later but the Marauders held on to earn a hard-fought win.
In the first half, Matthew Bentley put West Virginia Wesleyan on top when Paul Smith set him up for a shot on goal. In the 34th minute,
Nicholas Leinbach received a through ball from
Oliver Calvo and chipped it past Alessandro Armenia to even the score at 1-1. The Bobcats threatened just before the half with a pair of corner kicks and a header that was pushed wide of the Marauder net.
West Virginia Wesleyan tested
Darian McCauley early in the second half when Nick Ranieri was turned away by the freshman in the 46th minute. The score remained knotted at one goal apiece until
Christopher Sosa converted a penalty kick to give Millersville a one-goal lead. Feeding off the momentum of Sosa's goal,
Kyle Finsterbush found the back of the net less than five minutes later.
The Bobcats upped the pressure, forcing McCauley to make his sixth save of the contest and earning another pair of corner kicks before Dominic Okus found teammate Josh Spencer to scored to pull West Virginia Wesleyan to within one goal. The Bobcats continued to press trying to even the score at 3-3, but Millersville held on for the 3-2 victory.
West Virginia Wesleyan outshot Millersville 14 to 12, but McCauley's six saves were key in the win.
The Marauders get back to action Wednesday, hosting PSAC rival Bloomsburg at 7 p.m.