FREDERICK, Md. – A goal in the first minute of play showed exactly how the rest of the Hood College men's soccer team's match against Eastern University would go, as the Blazers beat the Eagles on both ends for a 3-0 victory to open Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth action.
Inside the Box Score
Adam Labows (Leonardtown, Md./Leonardtown) was perfect in goal, making eight saves for his first career conference shutout.
Austin Heffner (Frederick, Md./Urbana),
Zeth Zambrano (Austin, Tx./Barca Residency Academy), and
Adrian Corsi (Centreville, Va./Westfield) all scored for Hood.
Lucas Godfroy (Adamstown, Md./Urbana) and
Timmy Hill (Stephens City, Va./Sherando) notched two assists.
How it Happened
The Blazers wasted no time getting things going, with Godfroy dispossessing Eastern on the side and racing up the field before finding a streaking Heffner who slotted a shot in the top right corner to give Hood a 1-0 lead just 45 seconds into the match. It only took nine minutes for the Blazers to get more scoring chances, but goalkeeper Ty Bleieler knocked away both shots. The Eagles gave Labows a hard test just a minute later, but the first year keeper was up to task and knocked the attempt clear.
Despite plenty of offensive chances the rest of the hal, with Eastern getting a hard shot on goal with less than a minute in the half that was knocked away by Labows, Hood would keep its one goal lead into the halftime break.
Although the Blazers got the first good shot on goal of the second half, it would be the Eagles who had the best chance when Zach Sievert was able to get past the Hood defense, but Labows came out at the right time and made a kick save to preserve the lead.
The Blazers began putting on the pressure after another great save from Labows in the 57th minute, peppering the goal and continuing to get corner kicks. The continuous effort paid off in the 70th minute when Corsi picked off an errant pass near midfield and simply ran around the Eagles' defense before slotting a shot just past the keeper to double Hood's lead.
Just in case Eastern thought it had a chance to start a late comeback, Hill picked off another pass near midfield and sent a perfect through ball to Zambrano, whose shot comfortably found the bottom right corner for a 3-0 Blazers lead. Hood continued to keep the pressure up as they searched for a fourth goal, but despite being unable to find it, the Eagles could not get anything past Labows on the other end, as the Blazers held on for a 3-0 conference-opening win.
For the Opponent
Bleiler made seven saves in the loss.
Analysis
Hood outshot Eastern 21-12.
The Eagles had six corner kicks compared to just two for the Blazers.
Eastern committed 22 fouls while Hood had just 17.
Notes
Hood improves to 6-2-1 (1-0), while Eastern falls to 3-7-1 (0-1).
Up Next
The Blazers host their Faculty/Staff Appreciation night with a non-conference match against McDaniel College Tuesday, October 7 at 5 p.m.
