Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Towson
Dragons Remain Atop CAA With 2-1 Win Over Towson
10/12/2007 9:03:21 PM | Men's Soccer
Philadelphia, Pa. – Drexel (6-2-2, 3-0) continued its hot play and built on its best start since joining the CAA with a 2-1 victory over CAA co-leader Towson (5-4-1, 2-1). Anthony Bafile and Nate Baker scored for Drexel and the Dragons withstood an intense final four minutes to hold off the charging Tigers and hold on for their conference-leading third victory and fourth consecutive win.
Bafile put Drexel on the board near the end of the first period when keeper Cory Robertson blasted a goal kick past midfield, midfielder Greg Ermold headed the ball backward to a breaking Bafile who beat keeper Billy Chiles in the box with a low shot to the right side.
Towson's best scoring opportunity of the first half came in the 27th minute when Tommy Appel-Schumacher took a bouncing feed in the box and volleyed a clean shot from 12 yards. But the sizzling shot found only the hands of Drexel keeper Cory Robertson who held his ground in the middle of the goal to make the save.
Drexel dominated the first half, blasting 15 shots to Towson's one and forcing Chiles to make six saves. The Dragons also earned two corner kicks, bur failed to capitalize on either opportunity.
Drexel tacked on another score in the 64th minute thanks to the speed of freshman Andrew Stolle who beat his defender to the end line and lifted a cross from the right side to the near post. Bake leapt and met the ball just inside the post to spin a slicing volley past the keeper on the far side.
Towson nearly got one back just minutes after the goal when Matt Beckman got a clean look at the Drexel goal from three yards out. Beckman' low shot was deflected by Robertson's dive to his left giving the Tigers a corner kick but preventing the score. Drexel spoiled the corner kick to hold the score at 2-0.
The Tigers made a furious rally in the waning minutes of the match. After earning a corner kick with less than five minutes remaining, Towson's T.J. Thompson hustled the ball over to its mark and blasted a low cross into a thicket of Tigers. Pat Healey's head connected with the ball which flew, unabated, into the net to make it a 2-1 match with just under four minutes remaining.
Towson would take four of their eight total shots over the final four minutes and test Robertson with several high serves into the box, attempting to capitalize on the Tigers' height advantage over the Dragons. But Robertson and the Drexel defense proved equal to the task and held on until the final buzzer sound.
Drexel outshot Towson 20-8 in the match and Billy Chiles made seven saves in goal for the Tigers, who entered the contest ranked seventh in the South Atlantic Region. Robertson made three stops for his fourth win of the season. The win, Drexel's third conference victory of the season, equals the Dragons' best win total since joining the CAA. The Dragons will go for their fourth consecutive victory on Sunday when they host George Mason at 1:00 p.m.
Goal Summary
38:09 Drexel Anthony Bafile (Robertson, Ermold)
64:38 Drexel Nate Baker (Stolle)
86:08 Towson Pat Healey (Thompson)
Shots: DU 20, TU 8
Corners: DU 3, TU 5
Fouls: DU 5, TU 10
Saves: Robertson (DU) 3, Chiles (TU) 7
