WEST CHESTER, Pa.-Maksym Komperda (Whitehall, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) scored his team-leading third goal of the year in the 71st minute to break a scoreless tie and help lead the West Chester University men's soccer team to an exciting 1-0 victory over Southern Connecticut State on Saturday afternoon on Rockwell Field.
In the first half, West Chester controlled possession throughout, taking 10 shots, including three shots on goal with another going off the post, but the Golden Rams could not crack the scoreboard heading into the halftime break.
Perhaps the best chance of the first half for West Chester came in the 41st minute when
Ian Alicea (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Lower Moreland) got his head on the end of a long throw-in, but the chance hit the post and bounced back into the box.
Frankie Taylor (Delran, N.J./Delran) tried to get to and bury the rebound, but his shot was blocked to keep things scoreless.
Southern took its first shot of the half in the 44th minute, but the chance went high and wide, keeping things quiet for
Jaden Howard (Townsend, Del./Middletown) through the opening 45 minutes.
In the 71st, Komperda scored his team-leading third goal of the year off a cross from
Jason Goldfeder (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff) to give the Golden Rams a 1-0 lead as the game entered its final 20 minutes.
In the final minutes, both sides generated chances, but both defenses, led by their keepers Howard and Devin Juan (SCSU), were up to the task, playing well to keep the score right where it was.
After being held to just one shot in the first half, Southern upped its intensity in the second taking 10 shots, although only two of these shots found their way to Howard to be saved.
West Chester ended the game with a 20-11 lead in shots and a 7-2 lead in shots on goal, while both sides finished the match with three corner kicks.
For Howard, the sophomore earned his second career victory and second shutout after another strong two-save effort between the pipes for the Golden Rams.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action on Wednesday afternoon with a visit to New York to take on Mercy beginning at 2:30 p.m.
