BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – It may not have been the result the Geneva College men's soccer team was hoping for as it entered its game with Westminster on Wednesday night, but the Golden Tornadoes were certainly thankful when freshman Blaise Burns (Ambridge, Pa./Quaker Valley) found the net late to pull out a 1-1 draw with the Titans in a game Geneva controlled for most of the night. Geneva's record now stands at 6-3-5 overall, 3-1-2 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), while Westminster's record is 6-5-2, 1-3-2 in the PAC.
The Titans got on the board in the first half in the 16th minute when a long throw-in went through the box and Marc Esqueda pounced on it at the far post, tapping it into the goal from just two yards away to give Westminster the early lead. It would prove to be about the only offense the Titans could generate in the game, who came into the match as the highest-scoring team in the PAC, and until Burns' heroics late, it appeared that it might be all that Westminster would need to leave town with a win. The shot was one of just two in the half for the Titans and the only shot on goal for the game.
Geneva otherwise controlled possession for much of the first period. The Golden Tornadoes generated seven shots, the best chance coming off the foot of freshman Gabe Singh (Valencia, Pa./Mars) who found himself open at the top of the box for a clean look in the 37th minute, but he sent his shot over the bar.
The Golden Tornadoes really ratcheted up the pressure in the second half. Senior Antonio Fiordilino (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) had a close look five minutes in, but he couldn't get much of a foot on his spinning shot near the mouth of the goal off a cross through the box, and Westminster's keeper Jad Jadallah quickly fell on the loose ball.
The final 20 minutes was mostly played in Westminster's half of the field, with the Titans spending most of the time bunkered in while trying to clear the ball down the field to relieve pressure. The Golden Tornadoes generated nine corner kicks in the second half, five in the final ten minutes, and it was on one of those corners that Geneva finally got on the board. In the 86th minute, freshman Wil Dunda (Sewickley, Pa./Quaker Valley) sent a corner kick to the far side of the box that senior Cole Sauer (Middleburg, Pa./Midd-West) got his head to and sent back across the box. Burns was waiting near the back post three yards from goal, and with his back to the goal, he heel-kicked the ball out of the air and into the net to finally break through. The Golden Tornadoes tried to find a winner over the final four minutes, but Geneva eventually settled for the 1-1 tie.
The final stats showed how much the Golden Tornadoes controlled the match. Geneva held a 16-5 advantage in shots and a 6-1 edge in shots on goal. The Golden Tornadoes also had a big 10-1 advantage in corner kicks.
The tie, coupled with the PAC's decision last week to award Geneva a victory from its game against Bethany two weeks ago due to an ineligible Bison player, leaves the Golden Tornadoes currently in third place in the conference and sets up a huge week ahead. Geneva travels to W&J, the team right behind the Golden Tornadoes in the standings, on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff, and then Geneva returns home next Wednesday for a 7:00 p.m. match with Franciscan, the team right in front of the Golden Tornadoes in the standings.
Geneva College is a Christ-centered academic community that provides a comprehensive education to equip students for faithful and fruitful service to God and neighbor. Offering over 145 traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality. Geneva has one of the top 100 undergraduate engineering programs in the nation, according to
U.S. News and World Report. Adhering to the truth of Scripture, a Geneva education is grounded in God's Word as well as in a core curriculum designed to prepare students vocationally to think, write and communicate well in today's world. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and IACE (International Association for Christian Education).
