Men's Soccer Edged at No. 12 Maryland, 1-0

Tuesday, October 22

College Park, Md.

7:00

Drexel University

7-6-2

Maryland

7-3-5

Drexel

Maryland Terrapins

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

10/22/2013 8:55:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Drexel men's soccer team hung with No. 12 Maryland for most of the night on Tuesday, but ultimately came up short as a goal in the 77th minute provided the Terps with a 1-0 edge over Drexel. The Dragons' final non-conference game of the season saw them put together a strong defensive effort, but it was not enough to upend the host Terps.

Tyler Afflerbach had two saves as the Dragons (7-6-2) did a good job keeping Maryland (7-3-5) from putting much significant pressure on the keeper. For the game, though, Drexel was outshot 16-3.

Drexel spent most of the first half in the defensive end of the field, as the Terrapins outshot Drexel 9-2. The Dragons kept Maryland from getting many serious looks, though, as only one of those nine shots went on goal.

That one, however, required one of the best defensive plays of the season from Drexel. In the 30th minute, Maryland's Michael Sauers fired from 20 yards out on the left side. He beat Afflerbach, but Tal Bublil was patrolling the backline, and lunged to his left to get a head on the ball and send it out of harm's way. The crowd at Ludwig Field called for a goal to be awarded, but replays showed Bublil clearly poked the ball away before it crossed the goalmouth.

The Dragons continued to play their defensive game in the second half, unable to get much going on the offensive end. Playing much of the game in the Maryland offensive end, Drexel had a few looks at a possible counter attack, but could not connect on the pass they needed to put a real threat together.

In the 77th minute, Maryland broke through the Dragon defense. Patrick Mullins fed a cross from left to right across the five-yard marker, finding Sunny Jane at a tight angle just to the right of Afflerbach. Jane snuck the ball past the keeper and inside the far post, providing the game's only goal.

Drexel will now finish out its regular season schedule with three Colonial Athletic Association games. They will next be on the field on Saturday night when they visit James Madison at 7:00 p.m. Drexel will then return home to Vidas Field for its final home game of the 2013 regular season against Hofstra on October 30 at 7:00 p.m.