Men's Soccer Grabs Crucial 2-1 Win at Delaware

Saturday, October 19

Newark, Del.

7:00

Drexel University

7-5-2;3-0-1

Delaware

10-3-0;2-2-0

Drexel

Delaware

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Men's Soccer Grabs Crucial 2-1 Win at Delaware

10/19/2013 9:02:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

NEWARK, Del. - Michele Pataia and Nathan Page scored to give Drexel men's soccer a 2-1 win at Delaware on Saturday night. The Dragons won their second-straight Colonial Athletic Association road contest, and handed the Blue Hens their second-straight loss and just their third defeat of the season. Drexel now sits at 3-0-1 in league play with three games remaining.

Drexel (7-5-2, 3-0-1) got four saves from freshman goalkeeper Tyler Afflerbach in shutting down the Blue Hens, who had won seven in a row before falling to Northeastern on Wednesday night. Delaware sat just outside the NSCAA top-25.

Michele Pataia got the Dragons on the board in the 19th minute. Gaining possession in the Drexel end, Skylar Olson fed Pataia perfectly, setting the junior midfielder up for a breakaway down the left side. He fired in on Delaware keeper Borja Barbero, beating him to the far post to put Drexel up 1-0.

The Dragons took that lead into halftime, and maintained it for the first 20 minutes of the second half. Then, in the 68th minute, the Dragons tacked on another. Again, it was a breakaway try for the Dragons. Pataia once again brought the ball into the offensive zone, dishing it off this time to senior midfielder Nathan Page. Page beat Barbero to the same spot that Pataia had earlier in the game. It was Page's fourth goal of the season, and ultimately would prove to be his third game-winner.

The goal gave Page 50 points in his career, making him the 19th player in Drexel men's soccer history to reach that milestone.

Delaware responded quickly, cutting the Dragons' lead in half when CAA-leading scorer Guillermo Delgado beat Afflerbach from seven yards out, taking an assist from Prince Nartey. Delgado now has a league-leading 11 goals on the season.

Afflerbach would have to make one more save, with 54 seconds remaining in the game, before the Dragons could wrap things up. Drexel outshot Delaware 13-11 for the game, and allowed the Blue Hens just three total shots in the second half.

The Dragons will next be in action on Tuesday, when they face Maryland for their final non-conference match of the regular season. Drexel will head to College Park for a meeting with the Terps, who are currently ranked No. 4 in the nation, Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m.