Frostburg State University Athletics

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Men's Soccer team earned a statement 2-1 victory over No. 8 Bloomsburg in their home opener on Wednesday night.
 
FSU opened the game on the front foot, as they thought they had taken the lead in the first minute off a long throw, however freshman Alex Lupinacci was whistled for a foul on the goalkeeper having headed the ball into the back of the net. The Bobcats continued their impressive start three minutes later, as a cross to the back post found sophomore Inzaghi Harmon, whose left-footed blast was parried away by keeper Ryan Moroney.
 
BU worked their way into the game over the next 10 minutes, as they came close to earning the upper hand as a powerful strike from Logan Savage outside the box took a deflection and came back off the left post and away to safety. Caleb Sitler then cut inside on his left foot and whipped a curling effort just high and wide.
 
With the sides trading moments of control through the half, it would be Frostburg to strike first, as Harmon was played in behind down the left side, crossing into the box for sophomore Nate Kennedy to chest over the line and go up 1-0. After the Huskies sent another effort wide of goal, sophomore Spencer Davis nearly doubled the advantage, as classmate Frank Stare clipped the ball into the box, where the defender flicked it towards goal but was palmed away by Maroney for a corner. Neither side generated much through the final 15 minutes of the half, as FSU held onto their lead going to the second.
 
Bloomsburg came out of the break with renewed energy, nearly tying the game in the first 20 seconds, as Owen Hollobaugh blasted a 25-yard effort off the crossbar. Sitler then had a free kick go right into the wall, while graduate Josiah Emerson was called into action for the first time after 10 minutes, gathering a looped header off a long throw. The Bobcats struggled to get out of their own half as the Huskies finally broke through 20 minutes into the half, with Conner Fedorko whipping a free kick onto the head of Andrew Beagle to equalize at 1-1.
 
Just as it seemed momentum was with BU, Frostburg hit back, as junior Dom Good sent an effort over the bar while sophomore David Williams had a great one-on-one chance that was stopped by Maroney. Both sides had efforts go off target headed to the last 10 minutes still in a deadlock. On a breakaway chance, Good picked the ball up on the left wing and floated a cross to the back post, which Kennedy met on the volley, beating Maroney and putting the Bobcats back up 2-1.
 
Frostburg's defense stepped up to the task, denying the Huskies any looks at goal for the remainder of the match. Senior Anthony Diaz had a deflected header go just wide of the post, while Williams attempted a flick that also went off target but both helped tick down the seconds. Some late long balls from BU never amounted to clear chances, as FSU secured the one-goal upset victory.
 
The Bobcats held a narrow 9-8 advantage in shots, with a wider 5-2 margin in efforts on target. Kennedy's two goals set a single game career-best mark, as he has already surpassed last season's tally with his third of the year.
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 2-0-1 on the year, while Bloomsburg drops to 2-1. FSU will return home on Sunday, September 6 at 2 p.m. to face another ranked opponent in No. 17 Davis & Elkins. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.