BENNINGTON, Vt. – The Southern Vermont College men's soccer team defeated Green Mountain College Wednesday, 2-1. Mountaineers freshman Ruben Olivares (Pico Rivera, Calif.) scored the game-winner with just four minutes left to play.
The pace of play was slow at the start with each team feeling out the style of the other and only able to get off one shot apiece. Green Mountain (2-4) was able to move the ball in to its offensive third of the field and found sophomore Dylan Rainbolt (Aurora, Colo.) on the far side of the box for an open-slot opportunity to put the Eagles up, 1-0.
Less than five minutes later, the Mountaineers (1-6) responded when sophomore Erik Argueta (Pico Rivera, Calif.) crossed the ball from outside the penalty area on the left side of the field to a diving Connor Murray (Litchfield, Conn.) who headed it into the back of the net. It was Murray's first goal of the season. Both teams continued to work the ball and take opportunities when presented, however they went in to the break tied 1-1.
The second half saw a strategic battle between the two sides with differing personnel throughout. SVC coach Tim Penrod commented, "We never really found our system of play; instead, we reacted to the game." Each team had its chances, but neither was able to capitalize. As the game wore on, fouls started to accumulate as frustration seeped out into the action.
Finally the tie was broken in the 87th minute when a long ball out of the Mountaineers' end found Olivares who collected it and went to net. He was able to maneuver around two Eagle defenders, continued to take the ball from right to left across the box and out of the keeper's reach, and finally took the shot on an open frame for the go-ahead and eventual game-winner.
SVC freshman keeper Christopher Dunham (Valley Falls, N.Y.) had one save in his first collegiate win, while Eagle senior captain Nate Kishbaugh (Niskayuna, N.Y.) had five on the day.
Penrod said of the victory, "We're certainly very happy to finally get into the win column, but we still have a lot of work to do in how we play. It's good for our young group to win a close game as we've been on the losing end of a few, but we're going to have to step up our level of play going into Saturday."
The Mountaineers' next match comes at 3 p.m. on Saturday during SVC's Homecoming Weekend when they host Lesley University for a 2011 NECC Championship rematch. The Eagles set their sights on their 1 p.m. contest at Colby-Sawyer College on Saturday.