OWU Online | Sports Releases

Ohio Wesleyan 2, Olivet 1
Allegheny 1, Wisconsin-Oshkosh 0

Sept. 2, 2006

[ Brandon Bianco ] Senior midfielder Brandon Bianco (Powell/Olentangy) scored the game-winning goal with 13:52 left in the first half as Ohio Wesleyan defeated Olivet in the second round of the Fred Myers Invitational on Saturday night at Roy Rike Field.

Ohio Wesleyan edged Allegheny for the Myers Invitational title, compiling a plus-3 goal differential to plus-2 for Allegheny. The Myers crown was Ohio Wesleyan's fifth in a row and 23rd in the 29 seasons the tournament has been contested.

Olivet jumped to an early 1-0 lead against Ohio Wesleyan, just as the Comets had done in Friday night's game against Allegheny.

On Saturday night, it was Trent Bronsink who jumped on the ball when the Bishops failed to clear it from the top of the box, and Bronsink chipped the ball over Bishop keeper Jamison Dague (Bexley) and into the net.

Ohio Wesleyan tied the game seven minutes later when senior forward Kevin Lehman (Easton, Conn./Barlow) made a run up the left side of the box, turned the corner and fired a shot across the goal mouth and into the right side.

The Bishops took the lead when Bianco got around a Comet defender near the top of the box and fired a shot past Olivet keeper Michael Manning.

Not content with their 2-1 halftime lead, the Bishops turned up the offensive pressure early in the second half. In the first eight minutes of play, sophomore back T.J. Trigg (Westerville/North) saw his 15-yard shot curl just outside the right post, senior midfielder Erik Ciccarelli (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) came across from the right side and fired a shot just outside the left post, and Bianco saw his shot sail across the goal mouth and over the end line.

The Bishops' best chance at adding to the lead came in the closing minutes of the game, when freshman midfielder Jordan Halloran (Springfield/Catholic Central) intercepted a Comet clearing pass, beat an Olivet defender and broke in on Manning, but his shot hit the right post.

Ohio Wesleyan outshot Olivet, 23-4. Dague finished with 1 save, while Manning had 4 saves for the Comets.

In Saturday's opener, Robert Del Greco scored midway through the second half to lift Allegheny over Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The play started when Nathaniel Yates drove in from the right and fired a shot on Titan keeper Derek Christiansen. Christiansen made the save but the ball caromed to his right and right to an onrushing Del Greco, who jumped on the rebound and deposited it inside the left post.

Allegheny outshot Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 16-11. Ryan Larkin had 7 saves for Allegheny, while Christian finished with 3 saves.

Ohio Wesleyan senior midfielder Craig Neal (Powell/Worthington Kilbourne) received the Dick Gauthier Award as the Myers Invitational's Most Valuable Player. He was joined on the all-tournament team by Bianco, senior midfielder Tim Kelly (Westerville/North) and senior back Josh Warren (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead).

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 29 seasons. It honors Fred Myers, longtime soccer and lacrosse coach at Ohio Wesleyan.

2006 Fred Myers Invitational all-tournament team

Ohio Wesleyan Allegheny Olivet Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Craig Neal (#2) Mark Dobish (#2) Kevin Hagan (#16) Alex Minten (#17)

Brandon Bianco (#4) Eric Sloan (#10) Michael Manning (#20) Derek Christiansen (#22)

Tim Kelly (#5) Chris Fedele (#12)

Jeff Sullivan (#23) Ryan Kelly (#14)

Dick Gauthier Award
(Tournament Most Valuable Player): Craig Neal, Ohio Wesleyan.