Two Second Half Goals Lift WashU Over Principia
The Washington University in St. Louis men's soccer team used a pair of second-half goals to pick up a 2-0 win over Principia on the road Tuesday evening in Elsah. With the win, the Bears improve to 4-1-2 on the season.
The score remained unchanged from the opening whistle through the first 45 minutes of the contest. WashU controlled the ball and pace through the first half, taking 10 shots while holding Principia to just four. Five of the Bears' shots were on goal, forcing the Panthers' goalie to make a save.
Like much of the opening period, WashU started the second half by keeping the ball in its offensive half. It took less than three minutes before the Bears took their first shot when sophomore Sebastian Valdes fired a shot on the ground that was saved.
However, it did not take much longer for Valdes to put the Bears on the board. After a pass from around midfield to the offensive end of the pitch, Valdes dribbled around from the right side of the box, around several defenders, and fired a shot that tipped off the goalie's gloves into the net for the goal at 50:45.
WashU maintained its one-goal lead until the 85th minute. Senior Ethan Wirtschafter took a long pass from the left side of midfield and dribbled around a defender before finding sophomore Casper Leary in front of the goal. Leary fired a shot just to the right of the goalie into the back of the net as the Bears took a 2-0 lead at 84:27.
Senior Cal L'Hommedieu made a jumping save in the final 30 seconds of the contest to preserve the shutout for WashU, 2-0.
Wirtschafter led the Bears with four shots. Valdes finished with three shots, all on goal, including his game-winner.
Senior Cal L'Hommedieu played all 90 minutes, making two saves to pick up his fourth win, and second shutout, of the season.
The Bears finished with 22 shots while holding the Panthers to just seven.