Press Release Written by Mitchell Coll
NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University men's soccer team fought back to earn a 1-1 draw against Jefferson University in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference matchup Wednesday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex.
The first dangerous chance for either side went in favor of Jefferson as TJ Hibsman was able to cause a turnover from Wilmington's backline, and Bas Markus found himself in an early 1v1 three minutes into the match. Markus came off his line and got enough of the ball to prevent an early goal by the Rams.
Yohan Kim had the first opportunity at goal for the Wildcats in the fifth minute. Marius Skattum Dahl found an unmarked Kim roughly 20 yards out from goal, but Kim's attempt went too high.
In the 16th minute, the Rams took advantage of long throw-ins, as the Rams strung together two headers in the box that eventually found the foot of Noah Stover to put the Rams up 1-0 in the 16th minute.
Yohan Kim found himself with two more great opportunities in the 24th minute. First, Tyler Guadagno crossed the ball right to left and found Kim's feet on the six-yard box. Kim controlled it with his foot and then shot it with his right, but a nice foot to save by Jefferson's keeper Matteo Crescente. Off the rebound, Kim had another chance but a diving Jefferson defender kept the ball out of the net with his chest.
The Wildcats put together some excellent display of ball movement in the offensive third, as Yohan Kim, Max Norden, and Pol Romero all strung passes together that eventually found the feet of Tyler Guadagno. Guadagno shot with his left foot on the right side of the box, but his shot was saved. The Wildcats went into the locker room down 1-0.
The Wildcats came out strong in the second half as Deshawn Bernard recorded a shot in the 46th minute. Bernard tried a shot from 25 yards out, but Matteo Crescente collected it. Osiel Robledo had a chance with a header from a cross into the box by Guadagno in the 61st but couldn't get enough on it; nonetheless, the right idea by Robledo.
Bas Markus made a big-time save in the 68th minute to deny the Rams from going up two goals. Jefferson's TJ Hibsman found himself unmarked and alone 20 yards out. Hibsman took one touch and ripped a great shot 16 yards out. Markus used all his six-foot-seven frame by diving to the right and getting enough of the ball to deflect it for a Jefferson corner.
The Wildcat's Ryuga Uchigashima had a one-time shot outside the six-yard box in the 74th minute that hit the crossbar and then the left post but somehow stayed out of the net. Zach Fantine was first to the deflection from Uchigashima's shot, but there was too much traffic in the box as the Rams were able to record a team save.
In the 75th minute, the Wildcats earned a corner from an attempted cross from Heejun AN. Uchigashima took the corner from the left side, and his ball found the head of Pol Romero near the far post. Romero found Tajhay Williams at the top of the six-yard box in the middle. Williams then connects with the ball off a bicycle kick and ties up the game at 1-1.
The Wildcats had a chance to take the lead in the 83rd minute from a corner kick by Yohan Kim. Kim found an unmarked Pol Romero near post for a header to the top right corner, but Crescente saved it.
The Wildcats outshot the Rams 21-9 and had seven corner kicks to the Ram's five. The Wildcats will be back home on Saturday when they take on Bloomfield at 12:00 PM at the WU Athletics Complex.
