BOX SCORE

Reading, Pa. (Oct. 21, 2006) – Sophomore goalie Richard Kessler (Reading, PA/Reading) made 14 saves, most of the spectacular variety, as Alvernia earned a 1-1 tie with Eastern University Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference men’s soccer action at Schlager Memorial Field.

            Kessler started the show with less than 10 minutes gone in the second half and the Crusaders (10-4-3, 6-1-2 PAC) down 1-0.  He denied a breakaway goal in the 53rd minute, and followed that with a push over the top on a full volley from 12 yards out in the 63rd minute. 

            Four minutes later Alvernia senior Cody Gambler (Mohrsville, PA/Schuylkill Valley) tied the score at 1-1 on a penalty kick.  The senior midfielder pulled a ball back into the top of the box and was taken down from behind to earn the kick which he buried to knot the score.

            Working to preserve the tie, Kessler continued to stymie the Eastern offense.  In the 70th minute he made a leaping save to push the ball over the bar, and with just over six minutes left in regulation he denied a header and caught the rebound shot while laying flat on the ground.

            Eastern (11-5-1, 5-2-1 PAC) opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when Lance Burris (McAlisterville, PA/East Juniata) took a ball into the right corner, pulled it back, and served a ball that freshman forward Brian Raffle (Chalfont, PA/Christopher Dock) one-timed past Kessler to the far post.

              Alvernia modified its approach slightly just over 15 minutes into the game when sophomore midfielder Tim Marcinek (Philadelphia, PA/LaSalle) was sent off for a tackle from behind.  Kessler stepped up at the back line with his team down a man and the offense looked to catch Eastern on a counter, which it did to earn Gambler’s penalty kick.

            Eastern finished with a 23-11 advantage in shots and 18-0 in corner kicks.  Junior goalie Noah Bartlett (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.) made six saves in net for the Eagles.

            Alvernia is the first conference team to complete its PAC schedule and will await its postseason seeding.  The Crusaders are assured of finishing ahead of Eastern after Saturday’s draw and need at least one loss each from Wesley (5-0-1 PAC) and Arcadia (5-0-2 PAC) to have a shot at the top spot.  Playoffs are scheduled to being with a quarterfinal round on Oct. 31.

            The Crusaders will wrap up the regular season next Wednesday night at Elizabethtown.

Alvernia 1, Eastern 1 (2OT)