Ohio Wesleyan 3, Allegheny 2

Nov. 1, 2008

Sophomore midfielder Ryan Harmanis (Hilliard/Davidson) scored a pair of second-half goals, including what proved to be the game-winner, as 16th-ranked Ohio Wesleyan defeated Allegheny in a hard-fought North Coast Athletic Conference game on Saturday at Roy Rike Field.

Ohio Wesleyan will be seeded No. 1 in the upcoming conference tournament and will host Kenyon in a tournament semifinal game on Wednesday at Roy Rike Field.

The Bishops took the lead less than 90 seconds into the game. Sophomore forward Tyler Wall (Columbus/Upper Arlington) was fouled in the Allegheny end, and the Bishops were awarded a free kick about 20 yards from the Gator goal. Senior back T.J. Trigg (Westerville/North) ripped a shot into the back of the net to put Ohio Wesleyan ahead, 1-0.

Allegheny struck back quickly, tying the game just over 5 minutes into the action. With the Gators on the move in the Ohio Wesleyan end, Ryan Fetterolf chipped the ball ahead to Pete Subasic, whose shot from the left side evened matters at 1-1.

Less than a minute later, the Bishops had earned a corner kick senior forward Tommy Crabill (Cincinnati/Sycamore) sent a header toward the back of the Allegheny net, but a Gator defender cleared the ball off the goal line to preserve the tie.

Allegheny nearly took the lead in the 32nd minute after a Bishop foul gave the Gators a restart around midfield. Brian Terpin sent a rocket toward the Bishop goal, forcing Ohio Wesleyan keeper Richard Ott (Norwalk) to go high to punch the ball over the crossbar.

Ohio Wesleyan took the lead for good early in the second half when the Bishops were awarded a restart on the right side near the end line. Sophomore back Eric Laipple (Westerville/South) sent the ball into the box and Harmanis headed it home for a 2-1 advantage with 39:46 to play.

The Bishops added to the lead in the 76th minute when Allegheny was called for a hand ball in the penalty area. Harmanis converted the ensuing penalty kick to give Ohio Wesleyan a 3-1 lead with 14:27 left in regulation time.

Once again, the Gators struck back quickly, with Subasic making a run into the box and squeezing off a shot that brought Allegheny within 3-2 with 11:11 remaining.

Allegheny came close to tying the game less than a minute later, just missing connections on a well-placed crossing pass to the right post. The Gators turned up the pressure in an effort to get the tying goal, with goalkeeper Zane Miller heading upfield into the offensive end and getting off a shot in the final minute of play, but the Bishop defense held the lead.

Ohio Wesleyan outshot Allegheny, 25-14. Ott finished with 4 saves for the Bishops, while Miller had 6 saves for the Gators.

Box Score