CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (Sept. 12, 2015) – The Drew University men's soccer team received goals from three different Rangers in a 3-0 win over DeSales University on a soaking wet Saturday evening, continuing the perfect start to the 2015 season.
The Rangers improve to 5-0 for the first time since 2011, when head coach
Lenny Armuth's squad started the season 6-0. Drew will get the change to match that mark on Wednesday evening under the lights at Ranger Stadium against Muhlenberg College, ranked No. 15 in the national preseason poll.
Freshman midfielder
Anthony McMyne notched his first collegiate goal in the victory, putting Drew up 1-0 in the 34
th minute. Sophomore forward
Benjamin Audi continued his hot start to the season with his fourth tally in as many games, while junior captain
Dylan Hammer netted his third of the season. Freshman
Alexi Velazquez picked up his first career point on an assist from Audi's goal. Junior goalkeeper
John Marques recorded one of his easier shutouts, his third of the season, as he was not forced to make a save en route to the clean sheet.
Drew's stifling defense did not allow a shot in the opening half-hour, opening the door for McMyne's strike in the 34
th to give the Rangers the lead over the Bulldogs (2-3). The Drew rookie launched a shot from 25-yards away from the goal line and snuck the ball into the left corner. The slim lead would hold at halftime, but Drew was feeling the momentum with a 6-1 advantage in shots at the intermission.
The Rangers wasted little time to cushion their lead in the second half. It took Audi just 1:30 in to score his fourth of the season off a lead pass from Velazquez. The smooth rolling pass found Audi out wide at a tough angle, but the Drew striker shot hard and low toward the near post to put the Rangers up 2-0 in the 47
th minute.
Another 1:17 elapsed before Hammer delivered the 3-0 lead off a cross from junior
Cole Leckburg, whose looping service was sent just wide of the six-yard box. Hammer ran on and sharply headed the ball to the near post, sneaking past the DeSales keeper and giving Drew the comfortable 3-0 lead.
The 3-0 lead would hold until the final whistle thanks to consistent pressure from the Drew offense, coupled with more of the same shutdown defense that has been a trademark during the Rangers' 5-0 start to the season. Drew eventually outshot the Bulldogs 13-8, a closer margin than the final score indicates. However, the Rangers were more efficient with their chances, taking nine shots on goal, while the defense held their ground to prevent any legitimate scoring threats by DeSales.
The shutout is also a major indication of the vast talent pool that exists on Drew's deep roster. A total of 21 Rangers contributed to the clean sheet on Saturday.
Drew takes on No. 15 Muhlenberg on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m. from Ranger Stadium.
