Samuel Edoung-Biyo in action earlier this season
9/8/2010 11:56:43 AM
Birmingham, AL. – The Sewanee men's soccer team battled the Washington University Bears in their second game at the Birmingham Southern Puma/Labor Day Classic on Monday before losing to the eventual Tournament Champions by a score of 3-1.
The Tigers (1-2-0) got behind the Bears (2-0-1) early after sophomore Zachary Query opened the scoring in the 17th minute with the Bears' first real chance of the match. They doubled the margin just four minutes later with a goal credited to Kevin Privalle that went through several Tiger legs in the box before it was tapped in from close range.
The game's major turning point happened in the 28th minute when Tiger defender Thomas Moore was booked for a clumsy challenge on a Bear player 25 yards out and given his second yellow card. The Tigers would play the remaining 60 minutes of the match with 10 players.
"We had an uncomfortable start to the match," Sewanee head coach David Poggi said. "We couldn't take control in the midfield and had trouble finding our attackers. We were on the back foot for the first half hour."
The short-handed Tigers held on and went into the locker room without conceding another goal.
The Tigers had a promising start to the second half and were rewarded in the 55th minute when freshman Matt Green was brought down in the box when he got behind the Bears back line. Sophomore Samuel Edoung-Biyo took the penalty kick, which was initially blocked by Washington University's goalkeeper Andrew Serio, but he was unable to hold on to it and Biyo followed up his shot and put one in the goal to cut the lead in half. It was Biyo's first goal of the season.
The Bears would again capitalize in the 60th minute after the Tigers lost possession in their half and Michael Chamberlin scored on a cross just outside the 6 yard box. The Bears finished the with several other chances, but the combined effort of a committed Tiger defense and the goalkeeping of sophomore Freddie Delchamps prevented any further scoring.
"The team never gave up and we had courage to keep going in search of goals, even with being a player down. Maybe I'm too optimistic, but I think we had chances to change the result, especially when we took a goal back early in the second half," said Poggi. "Losing always hurts, but when you learn from your defeats early on it's a good thing."
In the second match Fontbonne College beat tournament hosts Birmingham-Southern College 2-1. The Tigers return to action this weekend when they host Huntingdon College and The University of the Ozarks at Puett Field in the 19th Annual Kyle Rote Jr. Invitational. Game times are 12:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.