WESTMINSTER, Md. - The Juniata men's soccer team fell two goals behind to McDaniel College and could only pull one back in a 2-1 defeat to the Green Terror on Tuesday afternoon.
Juniata fired the first shot of the game in the sixth minute, but McDaniel soon opened the scoring. A Green Terror free kick in the 11th minute led to McDaniel finding the back of the net as a free kick was fired from the left to the far post. The ball was met by a McDaniel player who headed it across the goal, as the loose ball was tapped in from two yards out.
Juniata continued the search for a goal, with a shot from Emmet Young in the 15th minute that forced a stop from the keeper and a Blake Cassel header that was tipped over the crossbar for a corner.
Juniata continued pressing with a few shots in the 24th minute, including a Malvin Madzimbamuto shot from a free kick cross that forced a diving stop and a rebounded shot from Blake Cassel that was saved and cleared off the line.
Juniata registered three more wide shots and a shot that forced a defensive save in the final 20 minutes, outshooting the Green Terror nine to two in the first half.
Juniata started the half with a couple of shots from outside the box that were fired into McDaniel's defenders. McDaniel doubled their advantage soon after, earning a foul on a handball from 25 yards out from the goal and converting a free kick into the top-left corner for a 2-0 lead.
McDaniel persisted in trying to grow the lead, shooting from 10 yards out off a corner kick, although the shot was directly at goalkeeper Arun Subramanian.
Juniata quickly responded back as Victor Vandenbroek fired a long-range missile destined for the top right corner before being blocked by the McDaniel keeper.
A free kick from 30 yards away was fired to the top left corner by Young in the 61st minute, but the shot was stopped by the McDaniel keeper. Amo Mashigo followed with a long-range shot that was a routine stop in the 64th minute.
The Eagles pulled within one in the 78th minute, as Ian Edwards capitalized on a McDaniel defense that could not clear a ball in the box off a Juniata corner kick. After making initial contact and directing the ball to the other post, he capitalized on a rebounded Madzimbamuto shot and slotted the ball into the net.
Juniata managed one more shot in the final 15 minutes, as Vandenbroek fired a half-volley to the right corner from 30 yards out, with the keeper diving to save, ending the match at a 2-1 deficit.
The Eagles outshot their opponents 17 to five and put ten shots on target to McDaniel's three.
Vandenbroek fired three shots with two on target, while four separate players (Young, Andrew Murta, Mashigo, Madzimbamuto) shot twice. Subramanian was tasked with two saves.
Juniata concludes the regular season Saturday, October 29, at 1 pm with a trip to face Landmark opponents Scranton. The Eagles drew in the 2021 contest in a match that featured no goals across 110 minutes.