The 2016 Homecoming festivities ended in celebration on Saturday evening as the men’s soccer team took down the Goucher College Gophers in a double overtime victory. Blue Jay alumni cheered alongside current Jays as the team improved their record to 10-2-1 on the season. The relentless pursuit of the Elizabethtown College offensive line is what kept the Jays from falling short on their home stage in front of a massive and rowdy Homecoming crowd.
The Jays and Gophers battled hard, with neither team scoring during regulation. Senior Jeff Light and sophomore Gilbert Waso lead the Jays on the offensive with a combined total of 18 shots. The Jays kept up pressure on the Gophers the entire game, tying a shots recorded record from 13 years ago in a 2003 match against Juniata College. Goucher goalkeeper Daniel Hendry kept his team in the game by saving 8 of the Blue Jays’ 9 shots on goal. The game-winning goal would come off the boot of junior Sam Feehrer.
Light produced a career high total of 11 shots. The last time a Jay attempted more than 10 shots was junior Sam Feehrer last October in a similar game versus Goucher. Light and Feehrer are the only two Jays to record more than 10 shots in a game since the 2003 season. However, Saturday’s game was a team effort as 11 different Blue Jays took at least one shot.
The Blue Jays may have brought home the win, but Goucher keeper Hendry, the leader in saves in the Landmark Conference, eclipsed the 100-save mark during the contest. His total goals saved for the season stands at 101.
Senior Blue Jay goalkeeper Ryan Sandell only saw a total of five shots and one corner attempt over the duration of the contest.
However, Hendry’s chance at 102 saves was stolen by Feehrer. With Goucher’s defense tightly surrounding the 18 yard box and six minutes left to play in the second overtime, the Jays knew they needed to make a move quickly.
Waso used his excellent dribbling skills to maneuver around two Gopher defenders, bringing the ball to the middle of the field. Looking up, teammate Feehrer was open on the top left corner of the box. After a quick pass, Feehrer drove a strike into the upper left corner of the goal.
The ecstatic Jays flocked the field in celebration. With the win, the Blue Jays have improved their Homecoming game record to 16 wins and only one loss since 1997.
The Blue Jays played their final non-conference regular season game last night. Etown traveled to neighboring Lancaster Bible College to take on the Chargers.
Etown found themselves in a fight to the final whistle with LBC. Light opened the scoring in Lancaster with a goal in the 13th minute. His goal was assisted by junior Scott Hess and was his fifth of the season.
Waso helped Etown jump out to a 2-0 first half lead with a goal of his own in the 25th minute. The Blue Jays took their two goal advantage into halftime.
In the second half, the Chargers responded. In the 65th minute, LBC’s Edward Bills scored to cut the deficit in half. Just over one minute later, the Blue Jays found themselves in a tie game with Ben Noel’s first goal of the season.
The two teams remained tied through the end of regulation. In the 107th minute, sophomore defenseman Mitchell Gochnauer played hero for Etown. For the second game in a row, the Blue Jays scored a double overtime goal to steal a victory from the Chargers.
Etown will close out their regular season schedule with two Landmark Conference games. On Saturday, the Blue Jays will travel to Susquehanna University for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. The following Saturday, Oct. 29, the Blue Jays will host Juniata College. Etown will honor its seniors during that match.
The Landmark Conference Playoffs are currently scheduled to begin Nov. 2 with the semifinal games. The championship game will take place on Nov. 5 on the home turf of the highest seed remaining in the tournament.
