Late Goal By Colin Link Completes Comeback As WashU Downs Elmhurst 3-2
The No. 14 Washington University in St. Louis men's soccer team proved its grit and willingness to #compete as the Bears came back from a 2-0 deficit to score three goals in just over 12 and a half minutes and finish the weekend with a 3-2 win over Elmhurst on the road.
It was a slow start for both teams as first-year Nick Lam took the first shot for either team in the game midway through the 15th minute. The shot on goal came at 22:40 when the Elmhurst goalie saved a bottom-left shot by first-year Henry Wong-Foy to preserve the scoreless game.
Less than five minutes later, at 27:07, sophomore Hale Fernandez fired a shot to the top middle of the goal, but it was once again saved by Elmhurst's Niyen Ruffin. After a wave of substitutions for both teams, WashU fired four more shots before the half, with graduate Peter Cirbo's and sophomore Sebastian Valdes' both requiring saves by Ruffin.
Tied 0-0 coming out of the break, it took less than two minutes for senior Colin Link to take the first shot of the second half at 46:50. However, at 58:05, Elmhurst fouled senior Ethan Wirtschafter in the goal box, forcing a penalty kick. Unfortunately, Ruffin was able to make the save and keep the game scoreless.
Less than 30 seconds later, it was the Bluejays who took advantage of a foul inside the goal box when Andrew Walters took the penalty kick and scored on Elmhurst's first shot of the contest, putting the home team ahead 1-0 at 58:28.
The Bluejays would add an insurance goal five minutes later at 63:45 as quick passes led to Elmhurst taking a 2-0 lead with just over 26 minutes remaining in the contest.
Not giving up, sophomore Wole Adeoye fired a goal past Ruffin at 67:34 off an assist from classmate Roshan Greene to pull the Bears within one.
WashU would get a pair of back-to-back corner kicks in the 70th minute before Elmhurst made a sub. Less than a minute later, Wirtschafter found sophomore Daniel Kochen for the equalizing goal at 71:37.
The Bears would take the lead after drawing a foul just outside the middle of the goal box. Two more subs for the Bluejays did not help the home team as Link scored a goal to the top left over the wall of Elmhurst players to give WashU the 3-2 lead at 80:48.
WashU would take two more shots while holding the home team to just one in the final nine minutes as the Bears completed the comeback, 3-2.
As a team, WashU had the lead in shots by a commanding 22-4, including an 11-3 advantage in shots on goal. All four shots by the Bluejays were in the second half. The Bears also led in corner kicks, 12-4.
Senior Cal L'Hommedieu (2-0-1) played all 90 minutes making one save.