Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 8, 2010) -- Facing an 0-2 league record and hosting highly touted NSCAA East No. 5 ranked Hobart College, the Vassar College Men's Soccer team burst into the Liberty League playoff picture Friday afternoon, defeating the Statesmen 2-1 at Gordon Field. The Brewers went up 2-0 in the first half, and held off a frenzied Hobart attack late in the game to hang on for the win.

Vassar improves to 7-4, 1-2 in the Liberty League, and will celebrate Senior Day for it's home game against Hamilton College Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Hobart, the defending Liberty League Champion, drops to 6-3-2 (0-2-1), and will travel to Rensselaer for a 2:00 p.m. match-up on Saturday.

With ten men on the field and a one-goal deficit with less than a minute left, Hobart was inches from tying the game. Caetano Sanchez received a cross in open space to the right side of the Vassar goal, and launched a shot. Vassar freshman goalkeeper Ryan Grimme reacted quickly to reject Sanchez's offering, and his save popped the ball into the air in front of the net. Hobart's Evan Grey was in position to head the rebound into the net, and appeared as if he would do so – but Grimme, retreating from the right side of the goal, sprung into a full-out dive to swat the ball away just before it crossed the line.

“Simply huge,” said Vassar coach Andy Jennings about the importance of the win. “It was a total team effort.”

A fine-tuned offensive attack put the Brewers ahead 2-0 in the first frame. Just over 21 minutes in, midfielders Ross Macklin and Zander Mrlik connected for the first goal of the game. Macklin sent a low, hard corner kick to the edge of the six-yard box, where Mrlik had jostled for prime position to head the ball out of the reach of Hobart keeper Charlie Hale and into the right corner of the net.

In the 41st minute, Vassar got its insurance goal. After a sharp string of passes, junior forward Eli London chased down a ball on the end-line to the left of the Hobart goal, and contorted his body to send it back across the front of the Hobart penalty area. London's pass found Macklin, who struck the ball on the first touch and tucked it neatly into the left corner with his left foot.

Emotion and physicality dominated the second half and the pressure affected both teams. Four yellow cards were handed out before several tempers flared at once, leading to a red card handed to Hobart's Shayan Mosavi that put Vassar up a man with 22 minutes to play. The teams combined for five yellows and a red, and 34 total fouls.

Lukas Peterson scored Hobart's first goal 12 minutes into the second half off a free kick from just inside half field by Jhojan Restrepo. Peterson took the bouncing ball and swung it through traffic and into the goal, cutting the Vassar lead to 2-1 and setting the stage for a high-pressure final 33 minutes.

Grimme compiled six saves for the Brewers, and is now 3-4 on the season. Mrlik dominated the midfield with his control of 50-50 balls, and led Vassar with four shots, including his first goal of the season. Macklin's goal and assist put him in the team lead with 11 points with three goals and five assists. Mackiln's five assists put him in a tie for the 7th best single season assist total.

Kevin McCarthy had six shots, three on goal, for the Statesman, who out-shot Vassar 21-16. Hale had five saves.