(Posted September 12, 2004)

Juniata 5, Thiel 2

Altoona, Pa. ? An offensive explosion is all took for the Juniata College men?s soccer team to earn its first win of the season as the Eagles topped Thiel College 5-2 in the consolation match of the Penn State-Altoona Challenge Cup in Altoona on Sunday. Juniata improved its record to 1-4 with the victory, while Thiel fell to 0-4.

After two late first-half goals from Thiel, Juniata put the game away in the second half with two goals in a three minute stretch. Even more impressive, the two goals came with Juniata playing a man down after a red card ejection.

Juniata?s offense was present in the early going as Ken Wiles (Rhinebeck/Rhinebeck, N.Y.) scored just three minutes into the match to put Juniata in front 1-0. The lead expanded to 2-0 six minutes later as Kyle Dunn (Central Bucks-East/Warrington) pounded a direct kick past keeper Mark Coney for his first goal of the year.

Juniata added a third goal in the half as Wiles fed fellow freshman Chad Weller (Newport/Newport) to give the Eagles what seemed to be an insurmountable lead with just five minutes left in halftime. But Thiel answered back by scoring two goals in the final five minutes of the half to come back into the match. Nikola Vasilev tallied a pair of goals, the second coming at the 44:02 mark to cut into Juniata?s lead.

But the Eagles answered back as Jeff Gehring (Exeter Township/Reading) scored at 64:53 to bring Juniata?s lead back to two goals. Wiles notched his second assist of the day on the goal. The Eagles then capped the scoring as Juniata was awarded a penalty kick after a Thiel handball in the box less than a minute later. Josh Cady (Malvern Prep./Frazer) converted the penalty, beating keeper Ryan Lewis who came in at the start of the second half.

Juniata keeper Mark Guthridge (DuBois/DuBois) made seven saves in the game while Juniata out-shot Thiel 23-13 on the match. Coney and Lewis combined for five saves for Thiel.

The Eagles will return to action on Wednesday when they host Lycoming in a non-conference match.

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