Temple University Athletics
Two Late Goals Prove Costly To Men's Soccer In 3-2 Loss At Xavier
10.26.07 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 26, 2007
CINCINNATI, OH - Two goals less than one-minute apart midway through the second half lifted host Xavier to a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Temple in an Atlantic 10 Conference match Friday night at the XU Soccer Complex. The Owls fall to 4-7-2 overall and 0-3-1 in conference play while the Musketeers improve to 6-9-0, 2-3-0.
Freshman Brian Henderson got the owls off to a good start with the first of his two goals in the contest, an unassisted blast past the keeper in the 10th minute. After Brandon Butcher tallied the equalizer four minutes later, Henderson again found the back of the net for his team-leading fourth goal, taking a pass inside the box from freshman Kenechukwu Nwanah and lifting a shot over XU keeper Adam Sokolowski (two saves) to make it 2-1 at the 32:48 mark.
The game remained that way until sophomore Jake Vollmer controlled the ball on the right side and struck a 35-yard bullet with his right foot that started outside the left post but dove to the right and snuck inside the far side to knot the score up at two with 18:19 remaining in regulation.
Sophomore Ricardo Sutherland took advantage of the Musketeer momentum when he scored the game-winner juust 51 seconds later. Bucher took a shot from inside the box that was saved by Temple keeper Tony Pratico. Pratico was unable to corral the rebound though and the ball ricocheted towards a charging Sutherland who knocked the ball into the back of the net.
It marked the first time Temple had allowed more than one goal in a contest since a 3-1 loss at William & Mary on September 14, and only the second time Pratico (four saves), who leads the A-10 with a 0.93 goals against average, allowed more than one goal this season. The previous time was in a 2-0 loss to UMBC on Sept. 2.
The win also enhances XU's record in Atlantic 10 home openers to 8-3-2 all-time and the Musketeers improve to 5-1-0 on the year at home and 9-1-1 in its last 11 matches at the XU Soccer Complex.
Temple returns to the pitch Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. match at Dayton.
