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Kean 3, Pitt-Greensburg 2
Ohio Wesleyan 1, Kalamazoo 0

Sept. 4, 2004

[ Ryan Martin ] Junior midfielder Ryan Martin (Dublin/Wellington) scored the game-winning goal on a penalty kick as Ohio Wesleyan won the Fred Myers Invitational with a hard-fought win over Kalamazoo on Saturday night at Roy Rike Field.

Kean defeated Pitt-Greensburg in the consolation game.

Ohio Wesleyan threatened the Kalamazoo goal almost immediately after the opening kickoff. Twice during the first 5 minutes of play, junior forward Jeff Fisher (Westerville/North) had good looks at the Hornet goal, but the first shot was just outside the left post and the second sailed past the right post by less than the width of the ball.

Fisher had another pair of shots during the next 5 minutes, but both times, Hornet keeper Stefano Crescentini was there to make the save.

As the first half progressed, play slowed down and became more physical. The Bishops' best scoring chance came in the last minute of the period, when freshman forward Damon Wilson (Mullica Hill, N.J./St. Andrews (Del.)) made a nice run up the left side but had his shot saved by Crescentini. Meanwhile, Kalamazoo was able to assemble only one shot during the first 45 minutes.

Ohio Wesleyan took the lead midway through the second half when Martin was taken down inside the penalty area. He converted the ensuing kick to put the Bishops ahead to stay.

Kalamazoo's best scoring chances came on restarts. Less than a minute after Ohio Wesleyan took the lead, Kalamazoo's Nick Houdek lined a 25-yard free kick just over the crossbar.

Peter White took 2 more restarts, with Bishop keeper Corey McKee (Columbus/Dublin Scioto) making saves each time. On White's second free kick, from about 25 yards out, McKee stopped the shot but could not control the rebound. J.J. Jansons was there for the rebound, but McKee deflected his shot up and off the crossbar.

Ohio Wesleyan outshot Kalamazoo, 18-9. Freshman Jamison Dague (Bexley) had 1 save in the first half in the Ohio Wesleyan goal, while McKee finished with 6 saves. Crescentini had 10 saves for the Hornets.

In Saturday's opener, Kean took a 3-0 first-half lead on a pair of goals by Marc Fay and another by Andre Marshall, then held off a Pitt-Greensburg rally.

The Bobcats closed to within 3-1 on David Tintera's goal midway through the second half, then made it 3-2 on Peter Jonah's score with 7:20 left in regulation time.

[ Myers Invitational champions! ] Pitt-Greensburg's best chance at tying the game came with about 5 minutes left in regulation time when Adam Zeleznick maneuvered around a pair of Kean defenders, then passed the ball left to Cody Johns near the top of the box, but Johns' attempted chip over Cougar keeper Eugene Hahn sailed over the crossbar.

Kean outshot Pitt-Greensburg, 13-11. Bogdan Protas had 2 saves in the first 65 minutes and Hahn had 2 saves in the final 25 minutes for Kean, while Josh Harshman had 1 save in the first half and Greg Faltenovich had 4 saves in the second half for Pitt-Greensburg.

Ohio Wesleyan senior back Garrett Silvert-Noftle (Yellow Springs) received the Dick Gauthier Award as the Myers Invitational's Most Valuable Player. He was joined on the all-tournament team by sophomore midfielder Brandon Bianco (Powell/Olentangy), Fisher, Martin and sophomore back Jeff Sullivan (Powell/Olentangy).

The Fred Myers Invitational, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Delaware County, has been one of the featured events on the Battling Bishops' schedule for 27 seasons. It honors Fred Myers, longtime soccer and lacrosse coach at Ohio Wesleyan.

2004 Fred Myers Invitational all-tournament team

Ohio Wesleyan Kalamazoo Kean Pitt-Greensburg

Brandon Bianco (#4) Patrick Lannen (#2) Andre Marshall (#3) David Tintera (#2)

Jeff Fisher (#9) Scott MacDonald (#3) Nick Apostolou (#5) Adam Zeleznick (#18)

Ryan Martin (#10) JJ Jansons (#16) Marc Fay (#11)

Garrett Silvert-Noftle (#18)

Jeff Sullivan (#23)

Most Valuable Player: Garrett Silvert-Noftle, Ohio Wesleyan.