Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 7, 2008) – Controlling the ball from start to finish, the Vassar men's soccer team defeated Bard College, 5-0, on Tuesday at Gordon Field. Junior Brian Bianchetti (Tustin, CA/Foothill), netted two goals in the win, with brothers Harrison Freund (Chicago, IL/Francis W. Parker) and Alex Freund (Chicago, IL/Francis W. Parker) contributing two assists apiece.

The Brewers improve to 5-4-0, (0-2-0) as they head into the main portion of their Liberty League schedule. They will host Clarkson University on Friday at 4:00 pm in the first of five consecutive home league matches. The Raptors fall to 4-4-1, 2-0-0 in the Skyline Conference.

Vassar kept the Bard defense busy throughout the game, outshooting the Raptors 34-6. The Brewers unleashed 17 shots on goal, while the Raptors managed just two shots on goal, both in the second half.

Vassar got on board in the 39th minute off an Alex Freund corner kick. Bianchetti found space in the crowd in front of the net to head in his fifth goal of the season.

Although the Brewers controlled the first half, outshooting the Raptors 22-2, freshman keeper Deven Connelly (High Falls, NY/Rondout Valley) kept Bard within striking distance and the Raptors trailed by just one after the first 45 minutes.

Connelly made nine saves in the first half. In a particularly offensive-minded five-minute span for the Brewers, between the 26th and 31st minute, Connelly came up with six big saves. In that time he made three consecutive tough stops in the space of less than two minutes.

The second half was a different story, however, as the Brewers managed to find the net four times.

Vassar quickly got its insurance goal in the 48th minute as a Raptor hand ball in the box gave the Brewers a penalty kick. Bianchetti took the kick, scoring his second goal of the game on a low shot to the left-hand netting, just beyond Connelly's reach.

Another Alex Freund corner kick accounted for Vassar's third goal, as the junior midfielder bent a beautiful ball into the box. Senior Jon Hootnick (Marblehead, MA/Marblehead) headed the ball in for his sixth goal of the season, giving Freund his seventh season assist.

Vassar tacked on a fourth goal in the 70th minute. In a crowd in front of the net following a corner kick, Harrison Freund laid the ball off to sophomore Jake Weiss (Hartsdale, NY/Ardsley) who nailed home the shot for his third goal of the season.

The Brewers netted their last goal of the game with under four minutes to play. After an indirect kick, Harrison Freund sent a ball towards the net from the top left hand corner. Junior Daniel Griffith (Camp Lejenue, NC/Lejeune) charged onto the offering to send it into the back of the net. It marked Harrison Freund's fourth assist in two games.

Connelly made 11 saves in the loss, dropping his record to 4-4-1. Junior Jake London (Albany, NY/Albany) earned the win, improving his record to 2-3. Senior Jimmy McCumber (Holliston, MA/Holliston) also saw time in net, recording one save.

Speedy freshman forward Jacob Hartog (San Francisco, CA/Urban School) accounted for both of Bard's shots on goal.