Box Score SALISBURY, Md. – The No. 20-ranked
Salisbury University men's soccer team played to a scoreless draw
with Elizabethtown College in front of 305 in attendance in the
final game of the 2010 Elmer Lord Memorial Soccer Classic.
With the tie, the Blue Jays (1-0-1) were named the 2010 tournament
champions as they did not surrender a goal in their two matches in
the tournament.
Today's contest was played between the midfield lines, as the two
teams combined for just four shots on goal over 110 minutes.
The Sea Gulls (2-0-1) had their opportunities to score, but could
not find the back of the net in the match. In the game's 11th
minute, SU senior forward Ben DeLisle
fired a shot towards the bottom right corner but the Blue Jay
goalkeeper deflected it away. Senior forward Mike
Napolitano pounced on the rebound and put a shot on
frame that was pushed away by the goalkeeper before being cleared
by the Elizabethtown defense.
Salisbury had a golden opportunity to start the second half, as
junior forward Ian Wilson
picked off the ball from a Blue Jay defender and sprinted towards
the net. Wilson passed the ball off to sophomore forward Adrian
Tombini but the Blue Jay backline was able to thwart
the chance away from the Sea Gulls.
Following 90 minutes of scoreless action, the two teams headed to
overtime. In the first overtime period, each team would see their
best chance of the match. For Elizabethtown, it came just two
minutes in as Ross Withrow one-timed a played ball on the six-yard
line over the top of SU's goal and out of play. In the 97th minute,
Napolitano found himself standing just within the 18-yard box and
saw the ball booming towards him. The Ellicott City, Md., native
bicycled the ball towards the goal which the Blue Jay goalkeeper
pushed over the top of the goal and out of play for a Sea
Gull corner kick. But that would be as close as either team
would get in the contest.
For the match, Salisbury held an 8-5 shots advantage and had four
corner kicks compared to three for Elizabethtown.
The Sea Gulls will return to action this Wednesday, as they are set
to host Eastern Shore rival Washington (Md.) College at 4 p.m. at
the SU Soccer Complex.