WEST CHESTER, Pa.- After seeing its scheduled home opener vs Holy Family on Saturday postponed, the West Chester University men's soccer team (1-1-0) returned to the field on Wednesday for its home opener against Wilmington (2-0-1) on a perfect afternoon on South Campus. Wilmington scored a pair of goals in the final 15 minutes of the first half and used these late tallies to spoil the Golden Rams' home opener, leaving Rockwell Field with a 2-0 victory on Wednesday afternoon.
Alex Tarway gave Wilmington a 1-0 lead in the 32
nd minute before Jiung Ha doubled the lead with a rocket from the far corner of the box to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead late in the first half.
Despite the halftime deficit, West Chester ended the first half tied in shots at 8-8, although the Wildcats had a 6-2 lead in shots on goal.
The four-shot deficit in shots on goal was not for lack of opportunities, as West Chester had ample chances off its set pieces, but a handful of shots went wide, and the Wildcat defense blocked a handful of chances as well to keep the Golden Rams off the scoreboard.
Jaden Howard (Townsend, Del./Middletown) made four big saves in the first half, including two that turned away almost sure goals from Michiharu Takanashi and Tarway to keep the deficit manageable.
In the 56
th minute, West Chester generated a flurry of good chances in front of the goal off an early corner, but the Wildcat defense held on to keep their hosts off the scoreboard.
In the 61
st minute, Takanashi nearly stretched the lead to 3-0, but Howard made another excellent save, a sprawling kick save to keep the deficit at two.
Kenyon Carter (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) came inches away from the first goal of the game for West Chester as he looked to clean up a loose ball in the box in the 78
th minute, but the chance was blocked on the way and went high.
Owen Slack (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) had a chance of his own in the 79
th minute, but it was also blocked to keep West Chester's offense quiet.
Tarway continued his big day for Wilmington, nearly scoring his second goal of the game yet again, but a diving stop by Howard prevented the chance as the junior keeper recorded his eighth save of the afternoon in the 80
th minute.
West Chester and Wilmington each generated late opportunities in the final 10 minutes of the match, but neither side was able to capitalize as the non-league tilt ended with a 2-0 victory for the visiting Wildcats.
West Chester and Wilmington each took 21 shots, although the Wildcats finished the contest with a slim 11-7 lead in shots on goal. Wilmington also ended the game with an 8-6 lead in corners.
Howard was excellent in the loss, making nine saves, including a number of leaping stops, while his counterpart Emil Lollike made seven stops to slow the high-powered Golden Ram offense.
Up Next
West Chester will be back in action on Saturday afternoon at Southern Connecticut State for a 4 p.m. start.
