Sept. 10, 2006

Box Score

WASHINGTON - The American University men's soccer team scored the game's first two goals then allowed one by the Loyola Greyhounds, but the Eagles hung on in the end for a 2-1 victory Sunday at Reeves Field.

The Eagles opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a bit of good fortune. Sal Caccavale (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) led Garth Juckem (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Jesuit) into the low right corner of the box with a pass, then Juckem fired a crossing pass that glanced off the goalkeeper's hands and into the goal. It was Juckem's first goal of the season.

AU added another tally in the 46th minute when Caccavale fired a low corner kick into the box. Juckem flicked it backwards with the heel of his cleat directly to Cooper Bryant (Niederhausen-Oberseelbach, Ger/General HH Arnold American), who fired a low liner to the left side to beat the keeper. It was Bryant's first career goal with the Eagles, and Juckem's team-leading fourth assist this season.

Loyola tightened the game up with a goal in the 77th minute, when Jamie Darvill stole the ball off an AU defender's feet in the box and then slipped a shot under the goalie.

Then AU weathered several opportunities by the Greyhounds. In the 80th minute, Darvill had another chance blocked by an AU defender. Finally, in the 83rd minute a shot by the Greyhounds' Omar Alfonso was denied by a spectacular save from Chris Sedlak (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale). Sedlak finished with five saves for the win.

The win snaps a three-game slide for the Eagles and evens AU's record at 3-3-0. The Greyhounds fall to 0-4-0 on the season. AU returns to action on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at George Washington. The tilt versus the Colonials is the first of a nearly month-long road trip for the Eagles. AU does not return home until Oct. 7, when it faces Holy Cross on Reeves Field.