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Shoremen Pepper PSU-Brandywine, 7-0, in Opener
Most Goals in Game for WC since 2001
CHESTERTOWN, MD -- Posting their highest single-game scoring output in nearly nine years, the Washington College Shoremen won their season opener, 7-0, over visiting Penn State-Brandywine tonight in non-conference men's soccer action on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. Senior midfielder Gavin Rayburn (Bel Air, MD/John Carroll) scored two goals and assisted on another in the win.
Rayburn gave the Shoremen a 1-0 lead at the 16:04 mark when he scored off a long cross into the box from freshman forward/midfielder Chris Nardo (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex). The play was set up by a feed near midfield from sophomore midfielder/defender Ryan Duffy (Philadelphia, PA/Chestnut Hill Academy), who found Nardo streaking down the right side. Nardo staved off his defender on the run before finding Rayburn, who booted the ball in while dashing toward the goal.
Duffy assisted on the Shoremen's second goal of the half, sending a ball ahead to sophomore midfielder Justin Geho (Westminster, MD/Cardinal Gibbons), who fired it into the upper left corner of the net at the 44:09 mark. The goal was the first of Geho's collegiate career, while the assist was the first of Duffy's collegiate career.
Washington broke the game open in the second half, scoring five times in a span of 13:26. Geho opened the run when he stole the ball from a defender and hooked a shot into the top right corner of the goal from 20 yards out at 54:05. Rayburn then sent a pass back to sophomore defender Robert Gavora (Falls Church, VA/Flint Hill School), who hooked in his first collegiate goal from 20 yards out at 58:42.
Nardo scored his first collegiate goal at 63:01 after receiving a cross into the box from junior forward Jordan Haas (Wyomissing, PA/Wilson) on a breakaway. Rayburn made it 6-0 when he booted in the rebound following a shot off the crossbar off the foot of Nardo at 65:22. Washington's seventh goal was an own goal at the 67:31 mark. Haas sent a cross into the box which was headed into the goal by a Penn State-Brandywine defender attempting to clear it out.
Junior Chris Phipps (Newark, DE/St. Mark's) made four saves in the first 75:33 for the Shoremen, while sophomore Tyler Cabot (Hightstown, NJ/Peddie School) made one in the final 14:27. David Vessly made two stops for Penn State-Brandywine, which fell to 0-2 on the season.
Washington held a 23-9 advantage in shots and an 8-3 edge in corner kicks in the contest.
The seven goals were the most the Shoremen have scored in a single game since an 8-0 win over Wesley on October 27, 2001. Tonight's victory also marked the fourth time in five years that the Shoremen have won their season opener.
The Shoremen return to action Wednesday with a 4:00 p.m. game at Eastern Shore rival Salisbury.
