October 4, 2006

DEFIANCE, Ohio - On a field which was far from safe for a soccer match due to inordinate amounts of rainfall, the Bluffton University men's soccer team fell to 0-9, 0-2 HCAC on Tuesday, October 3, 2006, with its 4-2 loss at Defiance.

As both teams struggled for footing, Defiance struck first when DANIEL MEEHAN intercepted a Beaver pass and found the back of the net to give the Yellow Jackets the lead 23 minutes into the game. Less than eight minutes later, Bluffton found itself down by two goals when MICHAEL BELL took a pass from BENJI HUGHES and scored his second goal of the season. 

The Beavers took advantage of a yellow card on CRAIG BURKE in the box when NATE FLATH(Wadsworth/Wadsworth) buried his penalty kick in the 38th minute. With less than a minute remaining in the opening stanza, Flath used a JUSTIN SHEARER (Loudonville/Loudonville) pass to knot the contest at two heading into halftime.

Twenty minutes into the second half, Hughes put the Yellow Jackots on top to stay when he took a pass from JEREMY EVERS and struck paydirt for his third goal of the year. Hughes tacked on an insurance goal with two minutes to play as the Yellow Jackets won, 4-2, despite terrible field conditions at Defiance.

Although Bluffton and Defiance both finished with 18 shots for the match, the Yellow Jackets placed 12 on goal compared to only six for the Beavers. Flath took seven shots and scored both goals for Bluffton. RYAN THOMAS (Jamestown/Greenview) picked up eight saves in the loss.

The Beavers return to action on Saturday, October 7, when they host Franklin College as part of the 2006 Homecoming festivities. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.