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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Villanova
Players Mentioned
Men's Soccer Falls to Villanova, 2-0
September 20, 2010 | Men's Soccer
VILLANOVA, Pa. (9/19/10) - The Princeton men's soccer team fell 2-0 to Villanova on Sunday, Sept. 19 at West Gate Soccer Complex in Villanova, Pa. Shots were even at 14 apiece but the Tigers couldn't get by the Wildcats defense.
Three minutes into the game Villanova (3-2-1) earned its first shot on goal when freshman Dylan Renna beat his defender and made his way to the goal but his shot was saved off the line by defender Teddy Schneider.
Villanova would play to Renna most of the time that he was on the field, threading long balls up the field to him.
Princeton's (1-3-1) earliest chances to score came from its defense. In the 18th minute sophomore Mark Linnville had a long throw nearly go in after a deflection but the goalkeeper came up with the save. Eight minutes later Schneider took a free kick at the top of the 18-yard box that curved in around the wall but the save was made by Bresnahan.
Sophomore Matt Sanner gave the Tigers another quality chance with a long shot from 25 yards out that was saved by Bresnahan in the 33rd minute.
Four minutes later in the 37th minute Villanova got on the scoreboard with a goal from Kevin Garcia. Garcia chipped Princeton goalkeeper Sean Lynch when he lofted the ball from 20 yards out after picking up a feed from Anthony Griffin.
Shots and corners were even in the first half with seven shots and one corner each. Villanova held the pace in the game and would continue to early in the second half before Princeton turned its jets on in the final 20 minutes.
Princeton started to penetrate Villanova's tough three in the back with 20 minutes to play, and it gave the team more energy to try to find the equalizer.
In the 62nd minute, junior Antoine Hoppenot sent a great through ball around three defenders to Sanner. Sanner went to goal one-on-one before his defender came in to kick the ball high of the goal and out of play.
In the 70th minute senior Josh Walburn launched a 25-yard set piece that had to be tipped up over the cross bar by Bresnahan and out for a corner. Walburn had a chance again on the corner with a header that went a bit too high.
Three minutes later senior Peter Callahan playing in his first game of the season on defense, nearly chipped the keeper with a long shot from 30 yards out but it was tipped up and over the cross bar.
Princeton's final opportunity seemed like its best when Hoppenot put a cross in to freshman Chris Benedict, who moved to the midfield in the second half. Benedict's shot went just wide of the near post.
Despite barraging the Wildcat defense with shots, Princeton felt the game slip away in the 86th minute when Renna scored for Nova.
Emerson Lawrence made a run up the near flank and set the ball into the middle to Renna who had to resettle the ball before firing a shot that skimmed off the leg of Lynch as he dived to try to make the stop, but the ball continued its way to the back of the net.
Villanova had tried a similar play in the 75th minute when Princeton lost possession of the ball in its attacking end and took the ball up the near flank. Sean Mergenthal played the ball to Garcia across the to the far side. Lynch came out and made the stop but the ball popped free and Garcia got back to it as Lynch got to his feet but Garcia's shot went wide of the goal.
Lynch finished the game with four saves for the Tigers, while Bresnahan stopped seven shots.
Princeton held a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks and had three fewer fouls than Villanova.
Princeton hosts the Princeton Invitational beginning on Friday, Sept. 24. Penn plays Adelphi in the early game at 5 p.m., with Princeton hosting Richmond in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m.