September 13, 2006

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University men's soccer team (0-3) hosted Urbana University in an afternoon affair on Wednesday. Despite playing with a lack of enthusiasm early in the match, the Beavers managed to repel nearly everything the Blue Knights threw at them. A pair of goals sandwiching the halftime period was all that Urbana needed as the Knights kept their record unblemished at 7-0 with a 2-1 victory. 

RYAN THOMAS (Jamestown/Greenview) anchored the back line in goal, making four first-half saves during a barrage of nine shots on goal and numerous chances that did not produce shots. In the 44th minute, however, Urbana broke the scoreless tie with a shot from a difficult angle that found the side netting on the back post. 

Still stinging from the late first-half goal, the defense broke down again five minutes into the final period as the Blue Knights connected for their second and final goal of the match. Slowly the tide began to turn as the Beavers turned up the physical aspect of the game and began to win fifty-fifty balls. In the 70th minute, Bluffton's persistence paid off when JASON KERNS(Greenville/Greenville) won a ball in the defensive third and dribbled into Blue Knight territory before knifing a well-timed ball to a slicing JUSTIN DERRINGER (Brookville/Brookville) who took a touch to his left before slotting the ball with his right foot past a beaten Urbana goaltender. Pulling to within one goal, the Beavers continued to ride the momentum swing but failed to find the back of the net as they dropped to 0-3 on the year with the 2-1 loss. 

For the game, Bluffton registered just four shots on goal while allowing a whopping 15. Urbana took nine corner kicks compared to just one for the Beavers. 

The Beavers put their 0-3 record on the line this Saturday when they host Heartland Conference nemesis Transylvania at 2:00 p.m.