Vassar Holds Off Saints for 3-2 Liberty League Win

by: 

Wally Johnson

Brendan Gorman holds off a Vassar defender in Saturday's game.

Vassar College jumped out to a 3-0 first half lead and then held off a furious St. Lawrence University comeback for a 3-2 Liberty League men's soccer victory at Sandy MacAllaster Field Saturday afternoon.

The Saints pulled out all the stops in the second half, going with five forwards to try to get back in the game and keep their Liberty League tournament hopes alive, but Vassar goalie Jake London came up with some big saves among his eight in the half and the Saints missed a couple of chances just wide.

The loss eliminated the Saints from the Liberty League tournament. While the Saints could catch Vassar and Union which are currently tied for fourth, they lose the head-to-head tiebreakers to both teams.

While the Saints had their chances, but couldn't convert in the first half, Vassar made its opportunities count.

The Brewers opened the scoring just 2:20 into the game as Zander Mrlik launched a long throw-in from the sideline to the far post and Simon Whitelaw volleyed the ball into the net when Saint goalie Brian Abernethy couldn't hang on to the throw-in.

Vassar made it a 2-0 game at the 25:36 mark as Mrlik headed the ball into the net off a curving corner kick by Harrison Freund and it went to a 3-0 game at the 37:19 mark as Noah Michelon found Eli London with a long lead pass and London scored on a breakaway against Saint goalie Nate Goss-Woliner, who took over in goal after the second Vassar goal.

The Saints cut the lead to 3-1 at the 75:16 mark as Sam DeMello scored his fifth of the year off a restart just outside the 18-yard box, lining a shot over a wall of players and past London. Brendan Gorman scored his ninth of the year on a sliding shot at the left post as he put away Dan Marvin's pass at the 86:58 mark, but the Saints were unable to get the equalizer.

SLU outshot Vassar 31-12 overall for the game with London making 14 saves and Goss-Woliner making four and Abernethy one. The Saints had a 5-2 edge in corner kicks.

SLU, 7-5-0 overall and 1-4-0 in Liberty League play will host RPI Sunday at 1 p.m. while Vassar, 9-5-0, 3-2-0 plays at Clarkson.