November 9, 2005
Grove City advances to ECAC semifinals
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College men's soccer team earned a 2-1 victory over visiting Lake Erie in an Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Southern Championship Tournament quarterfinal Wednesday afternoon at College Field.
The fourth-seeded Wolverines (13-5-4) advance to Saturday's semifinals and will play No. 1 seed McDaniel (Md.) at 11 a.m. Fifth-seeded Lake Erie finishes the season at 10-8-2.
Sophomore forward Eli Lamborn (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) scored both Grove City goals, the first two scores of his career. Grove City took a 1-0 lead at 27:45 when Lamborn scored on a cross from junior midfielder Jonathan Breese (Mercer, Pa./Mercer).
The Wolverines doubled their lead early in the second half as Lamborn scored off a deflection. Junior forward Bob McNees (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) supplied the assist. Lake Erie cut the lead to 2-1 at 64:20 as Justin Rraya scored on a penalty kick.
In goal, sophomore Michael Manahan (State College, Pa./State College) stopped five shots to earn his 13th win of the year. Junior defender Stuart McCommas (Fairfax, Va./Fairfax) came from the back post to redirect two apparent Lake Erie goals in the first half.
Lake Erie out-shot Grove City, 16-14. Wednesday's match was the first postseason soccer match ever played at the newly-renovated College Field.
The semifinals and finals will be held at the site of the top remaining seed. However, McDaniel cannot host the tournament this weekend.