Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 10, 2009) – With three second half goals, the Vassar College men's soccer team completed its most impressive weekend of the year by dealing Liberty League powerhouse Union College its first conference loss of the season, 3-2, Saturday afternoon at Gordon Field. Sophomore Ross Macklin bent in the game-winner on a free kick from twenty yards out in the 86th minute to pull off an improbable second-half comeback.

The Brewers picked up two conference wins in two days, and are now 7-5, 2-2. Vassar will next host Farmingdale State for an 11:00 a.m. non-league match-up October 17th. Union, coming off an impressive 1-0 victory over nationally sixth-ranked Rensselaer that briefly had the Dutchmen atop the league standings, falls to 8-3, 3-1. The Dutchmen host SUNY New Paltz October 14th at 4:00 p.m. With four teams tied for first place with a 3-1 league record following Saturday's games, the Brewers are in sole possession of the next spot in the standings, just one win out of the top four.

Macklin's set piece with five minutes left was caused by a Union hand ball in the center of the field, just outside of the 18-yard box. The sophomore midfielder waited patiently while Union set up its defense, and left no doubt when he heard the whistle. He fired a right-footed shot, curling it around Union's six-man wall into the right corner of the net.

Union pushed incessantly in the last five minutes, but Vassar held off each attack, including two corner kicks in the final thirty seconds.

The Dutchmen tied the game 2-2 in the 67th minute on a shot nearly identical to Macklin's game-winner. After a Vassar player was called for a foul 30 yards outside of the Brewers' goal, three Union players hovered over the ball before Brendan Steiner finally took the direct kick. Steiner, a 2008 first-team Liberty League selection, pounded the ball past Vassar's wall into the right side netting, leaving no chance for Vassar goalkeeper Jake London to make a play.

The first 45 minutes of play ended with Union ahead 1-0, but less than 14 minutes into the second half Vassar had come back and taken the lead on two strikingly similar plays.

Vassar's first goal was scored by senior Brian Bianchetti off of a throw-in by freshman Zander Mrlik in the 54th minute. Mrlik put his long throw into the crowd in front of the Union goal, and Bianchetti elevated enough to flick the ball on with his head, lofting it over Union goalkeeper Mike Szczesniak and into the goal.

The goal to put Vassar ahead 2-1 came less than five minutes later on another throw by Mrlik. This time, as everyone jostled for position in front of the goal, midfielder Alex Freund drifted to the far side. Mrlik's throw was deflected by a head in the crowd, and Freund was waiting at the back post to put it in the net.

Bianchetti leads Vassar with nine goals on the season, while Macklin and Freund both put in their first of the year. Mrlik, who anchors the Brewers' defense, now leads the Liberty League with eight assists.

Union's first-half goal was scored by Sebastiaan Jansen in the 40th minute. After the teams had matched each other shot-for-shot throughout the first frame, Jansen took a ball from the right side of Vassar's half and raced all the way across the field, finally knocking a left-footed shot just inside the post to break the scoreless tie.

London made six saves on the day, and improved his record to 7-5 on the year. Szcesniak made two saves. Union out-shot Vassar 15-14, led by seven from Jansen. Bianchetti and Chris Nieminski each had four shots for Vassar.