Drexel University
Delaware
Balsamo Closes Out Career With Two Goals, But Dragons Lose a Heartbreaker to Delaware, 3-2
10/26/2006 10:08:43 PM | Men's Soccer
Newark, Del. - Senior Dominick Balsamo closed out his Drexel career emphatically by knocking home two goals in the Dragons' (6-11, 2-9 CAA) final match of the season. But a late goal by Delaware's Bill Paugh gave the Blue Hens (6-8-2, 4-7 CAA) a 3-2 victory.
Balsamo and the Dragons jumped all over Delaware, scoring their earliest goal of the season just over three minutes into the match. Bryan Ruff got the ball to Balsamo who blasted a shot from 22 yards out into the lower left side of the goal for a 1-0 Drexel lead.
The Blue Hens came back with two scores in the next 25 minutes to take a 2-1 advantage. Sobhan Tadjalli scored off an assist by Delaware keeper Taylor Thames in the 10th minute. In the 26th minute, Paul Danaher knocked in a score off a one-touch feed from Anthony Talarico.
Balsamo, who ended his six-year tenure with the Dragons, would not let his team go away quietly. The midfielder, who converted to a forward near the end of the season, launched himself to connect on a header off a feed from Brandon Fischer in the 69th minute to square the match at 2-2.
But in the 86th minute Delaware would draw a foul to set up a direct kick. Danaher, who scored the Blue Hens' first goal of the match, lined up the kick and lofted the ball to Bill Paugh who headed it home from the middle of the box to make it a 3-2 contest.
The teams were even in shots and corner kicks in the second half, but Delaware held slight edges in both categories on the match, edging the Dragons 12-8 in shots and 5-4 in corners. Drexel keeper Cory Robertson made six saves against the team against whom he earned his first career shutout. Thames, who recorded a rare goalie assist in the match, also stopped two shots for the win.
The Dragons complete their 2006 slate with at 6-11 record, which is the team's best mark since 2003. Balsamo closes out his Drexel career with 13 goals and 13 assists. He is ranked 11th among the program's all-time assist leaders and is among the school's top 30 in points.
