Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 9, 2009) – The Vassar College men's soccer team picked a good day to tally a season high three first half goals, as it captured its first Liberty League win of the season, 3-1, over Skidmore College on a misty Friday evening at Gordon Field. The win represented the first time the Brewers defeated the Thoroughbreds since the 2004 season.

The Brewers improve to 6-5, 1-2 in the league and will return to Gordon Field on Saturday to take on Union College at 2:00 p.m. The Thoroughbreds drop to 4-5, 1-2, and head to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for a 2:00 p.m. game on Saturday.

The first half proved decisive as the 3-1 halftime score was unchanged in the final 45 minutes.

Vassar got on board in the 22nd minute as freshman Zander Mrlik rifled a throw-in from about 30 yards up the right hand sideline. Senior Chris Nieminski out-jumped the crowd to flick the ball backwards into the left hand corner of the net, his third goal of the season.

The Thoroughbreds responded less than seven minutes later, as junior Matt Kelsey outran his defender at the top of the box, angling towards the sideline and then cut back towards the goal drawing senior keeper Jake London out of the goal face in an attempt to smother the ball. Kelsey slipped the ball just past a diving London into the right hand corner of the net for his third season goal.

The Brewers nearly answered minutes later as sophomore Ross Macklin sent a well placed low free kick into the box that senior Brian Bianchetti turned at goal, but his offering sailed over the crossbar. Bianchetti made the most of his next chance however, giving Vassar back the lead in the 40th minute. A Mrlik throw-in again initiated the goal as the ball landed in the box and sophomore Eli London got a foot on it. A Skidmore defender blocked London's shot but Bianchetti volleyed the rebound right back into the net for his team-leading eighth goal of the season.

The Brewers continued to capitalize on their set plays as a corner kick from senior Alex Freund led to their third goal with less than two minutes left in the half. Although no Vassar player was able to get a foot on Freund's initial offering, Skidmore's clear rolled out to freshman Simon Whitelaw about twenty yards out. Whitelaw immediately redirected the ball, sending a laser shot over sophomore keeper Nick Peterson's head into the back of the net for his first collegiate goal.

The Brewers outshot the Thoroughbreds 11-4 in the first half and generally controlled possession.

The Thoroughbreds held a 10-3 shot advantage in the second half, but were unable to seriously threaten until late in the game. The Thoroughbreds put the pressure on in the final fifteen minutes as both Kelsey and senior Kevin Regan got looks on goal but London stopped both shots, his only saves of the game. Junior Doug Yeates and sophomore Diego Reinero both had the crowd holding its collective breath with close shots in the final ten minutes, but the shots went wide

London improved to 6-5 with the win, making two saves, while Peterson dropped to 4-5 and also made two saves. The overall shots were even at 14-14, but the Brewers held a 5-0 advantage in corner kicks.