Late Sebastian Valdes Goal Lifts WashU Over Greenville
The Washington University in St. Louis men's soccer team hit the road for a midweek contest before conference play starts this weekend when it traveled to Greenville. The Bears scored three unanswered goals in the second half to come from behind and secure the 3-2 win over the Panthers.
WashU controlled most of the early going, keeping the ball in its offensive half of the pitch. Despite having possession, it took until the eighth minute before sophomore Sebastian Valdes took the first shot for either team. It was WashU that took the second attempt in the 10th minute when first-year Nick Lam had his shot blocked.
The Panthers took their first shot at 15:00, and it was saved by senior goalkeeper Cal L'Hommedieu. However, one minute later, Greenville was able to find the back of the net for the 1-0 lead at 16:00.
Neither team was able to take another shot until the 31st minute, when the Panthers had a shot blocked before immediately putting a rebounding shot past L'Hommedieu for a 2-0 lead, one they would carry into halftime.
WashU got on the board in the 61st minute. After earning a throw-in at 60:38, the Bears used two touches to get it to senior Ethan Wirtschafter, who dribbled past a defender and up and over the goalie before tapping in the ball, cutting the lead in half, 2-1.
It did not take long for WashU to level the contest. After getting the ball back deep in its own half of the field, sophomore Casper Leary dribbled around a defender in the box and found Wirtschafter running in. Wirtschafter then tapped in the pass for the goal to tie the game at 2-2 at 63:15.
The Bears would take the lead in the 83rd minute as, after gaining control at midfield, Leary dribbled the ball up the right side near a defender before finding Valdes in the box to fire a goal from right to left past the goalie at 82:14.
Wirtschafter led the Bears with three shots, including his two goals. Valdes, Lam, and sophomore Daniel Kochen each added two shots for WashU.
As a team, the Bears led in shots (11-5), corner kicks (9-2), and shots on goal (5-3).