Men's Soccer Falls 2-0 to WPI on Senior Day
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
WPI (11-2-3) | 1 | 1 | 2 |
|
Mitchell (6-8-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – Mitchell College fell by a 2-0 final to WPI on Sunday afternoon in a non-conference men's soccer showdown at Alumni Field.
The Engineers (11-2-3 overall) posted goals in each half to extend their unbeaten streak to seven games. Mark Calnan came off the bench to record the game winner in the 37th minute while Spencer Ralphs added an insurance marker in the 51st.
The first 30 minutes of the contest saw several chances for WPI but no goals. Matt Mulligan had a one-on-one opportunity against Mitchell goalkeeper Seth Strader in the 21st minute but poked his attempt off the right post.
The momentum shifted in the 31st minute when a red card on Mitchell gave the Engineers a man advantage for the remainder of the game. WPI capitalized six minutes later on a play that began with a free kick from outside the box. After the Mariners headed away the initial service, Evan Hallberg put the ball back into the mix and found Calnan at the top of the box. Calnan brought the ball down with his chest before swinging through with a left-footed shot to the right post. Strader dove and got a piece of the shot, but not enough to prevent it from bouncing off the post and in.
WPI's goal in the second half came on the heels of a Mitchell yellow card. The offense took place outside the box on right side, and Riley Doherty served up the free kick and found Ralphs at the far post for an uncontested header.
Mitchell's best scoring chance came in the 61st minute off a throw-in from the left sideline. A long throw by Daniel Hotaling connected with Christian Urena for a header at the near post, but WPI goalie Rufus Adams dove and deflected the shot over the end line.
WPI held a 25-2 advantage in total shots. Adams finished with two saves to record his sixth solo shutout of the season. Strader recorded 12 saves in the loss.
Mitchell (6-8 overall) will next play at Becker College on Wednesday, October 24 at 4 p.m. WPI returns to action at home against Clark University on Saturday, October 27 at 10 a.m.
