FREDERICK, Md.--Five different Blazers found the back of the net
as the Hood College men's soccer team (2-2) toppled the visiting
Mt. Aloysius College Mounties, 5-1, in its home opener Thursday
afternoon at Thomas Athletic Field.
Hood's prolific scoring combination of seniors Tom Noonan and
Marcelino Rabara hooked up in the 10th minute to give the Blazers
an early 1-0 lead. Noonan netted his 25th career goal and Rabara
was credited with his 17th career assist.
Then, five minutes later, sophomore Corey DeMaster made it 2-0
Hood with his first goal of the season. A few moments earlier,
DeMaster was forced to borrow teammate Joe Stanley's cleat after
his shoelaces broke, but the shoe proved to fit just fine as
DeMaster blasted a shot from 20 yards out passed Mountie keeper
Brady Griesheimer.
At the 24:57 mark, junior Brandon Garton's first shot attempt
was saved by Griesheimer, but, on the rebound, Garton sent one into
the upper left corner for a 3-0 Blazer advantage.
Just before the half, junior Tom Sprague tacked on Hood's fourth
goal of the stanza, his first of the season, off an assist from
junior Quinn Miller.
Hood held an astounding 30-2 advantage in shots in the first
half and was awarded six corner kicks.
In the second half, Miller set up Rabara in the 53rd minute for
his third goal of the season and 20th of his career.
The Mounties would not be denied however and broke through in
the 86th minute when Mitchell Ott lofted a shot over reserve keeper
Kyle Hodum for the final margin.
Hood set a school record with 44 shot attempts on the afternoon,
eclipsing the previous record of 31 set against Valley Forge
Christian College on Sept. 6, 2006.
Sophomore Shawn Fernholz was credited with the victory and made
two saves, while freshman Michael Hardman saw 33 minutes in the net
and also turned away two shots. Hodum finished with one save in 12
minutes of work.
Hood has a busy stretch ahead with three games over a five-day
span. The Blazers next travel to Lancaster Bible College Saturday
before heading to top-ranked York College (Pa.) Monday and return
home to host Wesley College Wednesday.