WAYNESBURG, Pa. (October 5) – The Waynesburg University men's soccer team fell 4-2 in a competitive Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) contest on Saturday afternoon at John F. Wiley Stadium.
The Jackets led 1-0 and 2-1 but the Presidents scored the final three goals to pull out the conference win. The loss snaps Waynesburg's five-game unbeaten streak, its longest such run since 2014.
The Jackets fall to 6-3-1 and 3-1-1 in PAC play. W&J moves to 4-6-1, 1-1-1 PAC.
The Jackets and Presidents both scored in the opening minutes of the contest.
Sarpong Kwabiah (Odenton, Md. / Meade) set up
Zachary Johnson (Raceland, Ky. / Saint Joseph Central Catholic) for a left-angled shot into the opposite bottom corner to put Waynesburg ahead 1-0.
W&J struck back with a right-angled shot from nearly 20 yards to the end line. The Presidents' Alonte Harris fired a low shot on frame that was initially stopped but trickled in to knot the game at one in the 7th minute.
W&J managed the only two shots on goal for the rest of the half with
Michael Francus (Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park) notching saves in the ninth, and 42nd minutes to send the game to halftime tied at one.
An outstanding individual effort by Kwabiah gave the Jackets a 2-1 lead in the 53rd minute. He had a successful slide tackle along the right sideline to take possession on the Waynesburg half of midfield. Kwabiah then dribbled up the right side into the offensive third, cut into the middle with possession and ripped a left-footed shot from 25-yards out past the President keeper into the bottom right corner of the net.
A minute after Kwabiah's tally,
Seth Massotti (Douglas, Mass. / Whitinsville Christian) worked to his right foot on the wide right edge of the 18-yard box and fired a shot that missed just high and wide.
W&J found an equalizer in the 61st minute as Justin Parker Wyatt converted on a long-range strike of his own after attacking into the box from the left sideline. He tucked a shot inside the opposite post to tie the game at two.
W&J hit the crossbar from 25 yards away in the 72nd minute and Waynesburg had a Kwabiah attempt in transition trickle wide left in the 76th. Francus punched a curling corner kick out of harm's way in the 79th minute.
The Presidents took their first lead of the day in the 83rd minute as W&J had a shot initially blocked but the ball went directly to another President, who knocked in the go-ahead goal.
In the final four minutes of regulation, the Jackets had two free kicks in W&J territory and a corner kick but were unable to put a shot on target.
The Presidents added a counterattack goal in the 90th minute to bring the final score line to 4-2.
W&J finished with a 17-8 advantage in shots and a 9-2 edge in shots on goal.
Kwabiah has recorded a point in eight of nine games to begin his Waynesburg career. It is the second time he has recorded a goal and an assist in the same game this season.
The Jackets travel to Thiel on Wednesday.
