Boxscore
LANCASTER, PA - PBU's Men's Soccer team walked into a tough environment on Saturday, as they were taking on Lancaster Bible College on LBC's homecoming.
PBU's men beat LBC twice last season, the second game being the NCCAA East-Region Final that had a trip to the national tournament on the line. In both games last season, LBC put PBU on the back foot and controlled possession throughout but came up on the short end of the score line. They would be hoping to make things right in 2011.
It looked like it would be more of the same old LBC pressure and dominance in the 1st half, with one big difference this time around. In only the 3rd minute, LBC's defender Andrew Risser would head in off a corner kick to give LBC a 1-0, something they never had last season against PBU.
PBU would respond and in the 15th minute some slick passing and movement would find PBU junior forward Seth Mangum about to unload a shot when he was fouled inside the penalty area to earn the Crimson Eagles a penalty kick. Up stepped Gary Bruce to drill home his 4th goal of the season.
The score, however, remained at 1-1 for less than 3 minutes. The Chargers were awarded a free-kick about 26 yards out. LBC's senior midfielder Taylor Dooley's shot would deflect off the edge of the wall, wrong-footing PBU keeper Dave Shaffer and bouncing into the net. 2-1 to LBC.
Both teams went into halftime with the score 2-1 in LBC's favor.
The Crimson Eagles came out in the 2nd half with something to prove and immediately starting applying the pressure. PBU looked to possess the ball for spells of the game, with LBC looking to hit on the counter-attack through their speedy forwards, Cory Greiser and Sean Westerlund.
In the 71st minute, PBU's freshman forward Seth Heinicke appeared to have knotted the game at 2-2 when his header beat Charger keeper Jarrod Bergey, only for the goal to be waved off by an infraction.
The Crimson Eagles would not let the missed opportunity ruin their day, and would again find the back of the net a mere 4 minutes later. In the 76th minute, junior substitute Justin Dillon slotted an inch perfect pass into the stride of a breaking Gary Bruce who finished to the side net for his 2nd goal of the game.
With momentum on their side, PBU kept the pressure on and would silence the large LBC crowd 3 minutes later. PBU defender Jon Minnema let fly a rocket from 40 yards out. LBC keeper Jarrod Bergey made the initial save, but with such pace on the ball was only able to parry the ball into the path of Gary Bruce. 3-2 to PBU and a hat trick for the sophomore forward.
The final 10 minutes saw both teams with their chances, but PBU would hold on for the win.
The Crimson Eagles' David Shaffer would finish with 7 saves. The Chargers Jarrod Bergey would make 8 saves.
LBC outshot PBU 24-16, but PBU had more shots on target (11-9).
PBU is now 3-5 overall, 1-0 in the NCCAA East Region tying them with Baptist Bible who defeated Valley Forge Christian earlier in the season. LBC will take on Baptist Bible this Wednesday, and then PBU will host BBC next Saturday for their homecoming.
Before then, PBU will host CSAC rivals Gwynedd-Mercy on Wednesday, September 28 at 4pm. The Crimson Eagles will be looking for their first conference win of the season in the tough Colonial States Athletic Conference.
