CLARKSBURG, W.Va. – Despite a 21-day layoff, the Lock Haven University men's soccer team (8-7-3) was in championship form as the Bald Eagles took home the 2018 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II title, thanks to a dominating 3-0 win over Salem University (9-8-2) in today's title match.
Gage Rims (Rosedale, Md./Loch Raven),
Brian Flatter (Frederick, Md./Oakdale) and
Christian Wieand (Elizabethtown, Pa./Muhlenberg) provided the goals for the Bald Eagles, while LHU goalkeeper
Jason Keller (Port Matilda, Pa./State College) stood tall. Keller's five saves backstopped the shutout-victory.
Nicholas Kuster (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North),
TD Hunter (Lemont, Pa./State College),
Andrew Moore (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley),
Steven Schankweiler (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) and
Alec Mapoy (Brick, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) helped LHU pitch the shutout.
The win today pushed Lock Haven over .500 as LHU finished the 2018 season at 8-7-3 overall.
It wasn't until late this week that LHU accepted the invitation to today's championship match and despite a three-week layoff, Lock Haven went right to work today. The early effort paid off as the Bald Eagles led 2-0 at halftime and that strong first half paved the way to the win.
Rims knocked home pass from
Beckham Sibiski (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown H.S.) in the 32
nd minute to put Lock Haven up 1-0.
Less than three minutes later in was 2-0 after Flatter's shot deflected off a defender and in.
Wieand capped the scoring in the 72
nd minute.
Matthew McDermott (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) was credited with an assist on the goal.
The Bald Eagles closed the 2018 regular season on October 27 at California (Pa.) with a 2-0 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) victory. It marked LHU's second straight win as Lock Haven closed the regular season with a two-match win streak and a three-match unbeaten streak (2-0-1).
Lock Haven finished the 2018 regular season with a 7-7-3 record, marking the Bald Eagles first .500 finish in regular season play since going 11-7-1 in 2011.
Today's postseason match marked Lock Haven's first postseason match of any sort since a 2015 PSAC First Round match at rival Bloomsburg.
No doubt, this strong 2018 finish will spark the Bald Eagles into next year.
