WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Maksym Komperda (Whitehall, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) scored the eventual game-winner in the 65
th minute to help lead the West Chester University men's soccer team (7-2-2, 4-1-0) to a 3-2 victory over East Stroudsburg (4-3-2, 2-2-1) on Wednesday afternoon on Rockwell Field.
West Chester never trailed on Wednesday afternoon and held a lead from the 11
th minute on after another early first-half goal by
Owen Slack (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley), but East Stroudsburg made sure the game would not be a runaway for West Chester, scoring two goals late to nearly escape Rockwell with a draw.
West Chester ended the match with a 15-12 lead in shots and a 9-5 lead in shots on goal. It also finished the afternoon with a 4-2 lead in corner kicks.
Reigning PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week,
Jaden Howard (Townsend, Del./Middletown) was excellent in goal once again, making three saves, including two late in the second half, to help West Chester hold off East Stroudsburg for its third consecutive win.
Luke Harper (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) created a dangerous opportunity for West Chester with a beautiful cross into the box, which nearly led to an own goal by the Warriors, but instead, the ball went just wide off the end line for a corner.
Peter Tichy (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) sent the corner in, and West Chester put it to good use as Slack finished off a touch from
Cooper Jackson (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) to give the Golden Rams an early 1-0 lead.
Following a West Chester foul, ESU got an excellent opportunity off a free kick. The indirect kick from Ethan Flickinger arced to the far post and found the head of a diving Hunter Stites, but his shot hit the post and was cleared out of danger by the Golden Ram defense to keep the lead intact.
West Chester continued to apply heavy pressure throughout the first half, winning another corner in the 32nd minute. Slack sent the corner into heavy traffic in the box, but the Warriors were able to clear the ball away, at least briefly, to keep the deficit at 1-0.
West Chester ended the first half with a 7-5 lead in shots and a 3-1 lead in shots on goal while also finishing with a 2-0 lead in corners.
Jackson got a goal of his own in the 54th minute off another Tichy corner to extend the lead to 2-0.
Komperda scored his team-best fifth goal of the year in the 65th minute off an assist from PSAC East Athlete of the Week
Tommy Bodenschatz (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) to stretch the lead to 3-0.
The three-goal lead did not last long. East Stroudsburg scored twice in the late stages. Hunter Stites scored in the 67th minute, while Ignasi Cucurella Tuset scored a goal of his own on an amazing bicycle kick from the top of the box in the 81st minute.
East Stroudsburg continued to pressure the Golden Ram defense over the final nine minutes of play, but West Chester stiffened just enough to hold off the Warriors for a 3-2 victory on Wednesday afternoon.
Helgi Hermannsson also played well in goal for East Stroudsburg on Wednesday afternoon, finishing the match with five saves in an effort to quiet the explosive Golden Ram offense.
Up Next
West Chester will look to go 4-0 on its homestand on Saturday afternoon as No. 16 Gannon visits Rockwell Field. The game will also be Senior Day for the Golden Rams, beginning at 2:30 p.m.
