Oberlin, Ohio – In their first cold and rainy match at home, the Oberlin College men's soccer team fell to nationally-recognized Wooster on a last-minute goal Wednesday night.
After a lengthy midfield battle to start the match,
Nathan Thompson broke open the scoring with a rocket to score the first goal of the game. The senior earned a free kick less than a foot from the top of the goal box, where he launched the ball to the far-right side of the goal. Wooster's keeper picked the right side of the cage to defend, but Thompson's shot soared just past his fingertips to put Oberlin on top.
Holding the Fighting Scots scoreless through the rest of the half, Wooster came out swinging in the second frame of the game. A corner kick met a leaping Fighting Scots' head that ricocheted into the upper corner of cage.
All tied up, the match continued to intensify into the final minutes of play. With 5:42 remaining, Wooster received a penalty kick. Stepping up to the stripe, Aris Christdoulou sent the ball to the lower left corner where it was met by
Lukas Verling. Coming in clutch, the second-year keeper made his eighth save of the night in perfect timing.
Earning a free kick of their own outside the goal box, Wooster lined up 30 yards from the net. Wooster's Elliott Miller took four steps before arching the ball over the wall and placing it cleanly into the top right corner.
Facing a deficit with 2:46 to go, only
Walter Gomez-Torres was able to rip off a shot that sailed high of the cage. With the last-minute score, Oberlin settled for the 2-1 loss.
The Yeomen return to the pitch when they host No. 17 Denison, on Saturday, October 25. Kickoff against the national giant is set for 3 p.m.
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