Dramatic Finish Nets Men's Soccer a 1-0 Win Over La Salle

Tuesday, September 17

Vidas Field

7:00

Drexel University

3-2-1, 1-0-0PS6

La Salle

1-3-2, 0-1-0PS6

La Salle

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Dramatic Finish Nets Men's Soccer a 1-0 Win Over La Salle

9/17/2013 9:25:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - The season is still young, but this seemed like a story the Drexel men's soccer team had heard before. Control play, pepper the opposing goalkeeper with shots and strong opportunities, yet come up unable to light up the scoreboard. Play strong defense, but have nothing to show for it but a draw or, worse, an unlucky loss. In the end, though, Tuesday night's game with La Salle would not turn out that way. The Dragons got a goal from Mark Donohue with seven seconds remaining, a header off a nifty combination off the toes of Michele Pataia and Nathan Page, to slip past La Salle 1-0.

Tyler Afflerbach had two saves in recording his second shutout in three career starts as the Drexel defense did a strong job keeping him clear of trouble. The Dragons (3-2-1) have now won three in a row, and join Saint Joseph's as 1-0-0 squads in the Philadelphia Soccer Six.

It was a strong all-around game for the offense and Donohue in particular even before the dramatics in the final seconds. The senior forward came off the bench to put up three shots. The first, late in the first half, was part of a frenetic scrum in front of the La Salle goal. With Explorers' goalkeeper John McCarthy on the ground attempting to cover the ball, Donohue got to it first, but could not lift it over McCarthy as La Salle's all-time leader in shutouts kept the sheet clean for the moment.

After halftime, Donohue again had arguably the Dragons' best chance when he made space for himself on the left side, about 20 yards out from the net. He cranked up and ripped a screamer that McCarthy was in no position to stop, but the ball sailed just inches over the crossbar.

Finally, with the clock nearly expired on regulation, Donohue and the Dragons found paydirt. Nathan Page got control of the ball in the Dragons' end and raced it up the right sideline. He found Pataia, who tipped it right back to Page. Page in turn deflected the ball into the box towards a sprinting Donohue, who lunged forward to get a head on the ball. It made a beeline for the upper 90 on the far post, just eluding McCarthy's grasp as it hit the back of the net. The Dragons dogpiled on Donohue, who ran towards the fans on the east side of Vidas Field to celebrate.

Drexel has now won three in a row, and its last two games at home. The Dragons will return to action a week from Tuesday, again at Vidas Field as they welcome in Rutgers for a 7:00 p.m. match.