Aug. 30, 2008
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - A pair of second half Bona goals proved to be the difference as the St. Bonaventure men's soccer team survived a late Army rally to hold on for a 3-2 season opening victory at McGraw-Jennings Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Bonnies entered the win column on opening day for the second year in a row following last season's 3-1 victory at Cleveland State. This afternoon's triumph also avenged a narrow 1-0 loss to Army in 2007.
"This is a great way to start the season," said head coach Mel Mahler. "I am very pleased with our total team effort this afternoon as we found a way to win despite falling behind a very formidable opponent in Army. Our guys never quit and were able to pick up the result."
Despite controlling possession in the opening stages of the match, the Bonnies conceded the game's first score to give the Black Knights an early 1-0 advantage. Army was able to light up the scoreboard thanks to an unlucky bounce of a Bonnie defender as Army's cross from the left flank deflected off junior fullback Tyler Bellamy into the back of the Bona net in the 24th minute.
However, the Bonnies wasted little time in knotting the game at 1-1 thanks to a misplayed ball from the Army defense nearly 10 minutes later. Junior Samuel Maheu intercepted a pass back to the Army keeper and easily beat A.J. Glubzinski for the equalizer.
St. Bonaventure out-shot the Black Knights 6-1 in the opening 45 minutes of play, forcing a trio of saves from Glubzinski in the first half. Sophomore Brett Allen threatened just 14 minutes into the game as his strike from approximately eight yards out needed a diving save to keep it from crossing the goal line. Furthermore, sophomore David DiNardo and Maheu teamed together with a clever give-and-go before Maheu fired the ball over the net in the shadow of the crossbar.
The Black Knights opened the second stanza with the half's first scoring chance just over eight minutes into the start of play. Sophomore Kevin Okapal preserved the 1-1 tie in the 57th minute after heading Bryan Connolly's shot out of danger with an empty net behind him. Okapal was forced to make the stop after sophomore goalkeeper David Flynn made a play on the ball just outside of the 18-yard box, but was unable to return to the net in time.
Goals were aplenty in the next 12 minutes as the two clubs combined for three tallies in a nine-minute span midway through the final 45.
Following the Black Knight's near score three minutes before, momentum shifted toward the Bonnies in the 60th minute thanks to an excellent possession from Maheu down the left wing. The 2006 All-Rookie team selection carried the ball all the way into the box from the left side of the pitch before setting up Allen to take the lead. After receiving the short cross from Maheu in front of the net, Allen placed the ball into the left corner to clinch the 2-1 lead.
Just six minutes later, the Brown and White struck again, this time off a perfectly placed strike from sophomore Kevin Mjaatvedt into the upper left corner of the goal to tally a 3-1 edge over the Black Knights.
Army quickly regrouped and sliced the Bona advantage to one in the 69th minute. After Sean Kim's initial shot was saved by Flynn, Connolly corralled the rebound inside the box to bring the Black Knights back into contention.
The Army attack tallied seven shots in the second stanza, including two in the final 12 minutes of action. Flynn turned away Gabriel Whaley's strike in the 78th minute before Whaley just missed the target in the 89th.
Flynn finished the contest with four saves for his seventh career win in net with the Bonnies.
The two clubs finished with eight shots each as the Brown and White were paced by Maheu's three strikes. Maheu finished the match with three points, sitting just one point shy of his 2007 season total. Five different Bonnies registered a shot on the afternoon.
St. Bonaventure returns to action next week with a pair of matches in the state of Connecticut, beginning on Friday, September 5 at Central Connecticut State. Following Friday's 3:00 p.m. kick-off, the club makes the short trip to Quinnipiac on Sunday for a noon start.
