La Plume, Pa. –
Carlos Bonilla (Clermont, Fla./East Ridge) scored twice to lead Keystone College to a 2-1 victory over Marywood University in the Giants' final home game of the regular season for men's soccer on Tuesday afternoon. Keystone improves to 10-4-1 overall on the season with their fourth straight victory and clinched a CSAC playoff berth for third straight year and sixth time in the last eight years.
The Giants' win, coupled with Centenary University's 3-0 win over Neumann University, also moves Keystone into sole possession of second place in the conference standings with a 5-1-1 record in league play. The Giants, who reached 10 wins in a season for just third time since beginning competition at the NCAA Division III level, joining the 2004 and 2014 teams, can clinch a first round playoff bye and a home semifinal game with wins in their final two games of the regular season.
Keystone took a 1-0 lead 12:01 into Tuesday's contest as Bonilla took a short feed in the box from
Talhah Netherlin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) and blasted a shot from 16 yards into the far side-netting to give the Giants' the early advantage. Bonilla's tally was his fifth of the year while Netherlin's assist was his fifth of the campaign.
Marywood (7-6, 4-3 CSAC) leveled the game with just 1:52 remaining in the first half as Daniel Gallagher knocked home a rebound after Dylan McMahon's initial shot was saved by Keystone goalkeeper
Malcom Moreira (Hillside, N.J./St. Benedict Prep).
The Pacers held a narrow 9-7 advantage in shots over the opening 45 minutes of play while both teams placed five shots on target in the first half.
Both teams had opportunities to go ahead in the first 25 minutes of the second half before Keystone was able to reclaim the lead in the 73
rd minute on Bonilla's second goal of the afternoon. Bonilla and
Ibrahim Tounkara (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) played a nice give-and-go that put Bonilla in behind Marywood's defense where the freshman lofted a shot over Pacers' goalkeeper Michael Mejia and in for his team-leading sixth tally of the fall. Tounkara picked up his second assist of the year on the goal.
Marywood had several late chances at an equalizer, but Moreira and the Giants' defense held strong, with
Matthew Sim (Tomball, Texas/Tomball Memorial) clearing a potential game-tying goal off the line with three and a half minutes left in a frantic finish to the game.
Moreira made four saves to pick up the win in goal for Keystone while Mejia suffered the loss despite making seven saves for Marywood.
The Giants held an 18-15 edge in shots for the game including a 9-6 lead in shots on goal. The hosts also had a 6-2 advantage in corner kick chances on the day.
Keystone will visit Gwynedd Mercy University on Saturday afternoon for a CSAC contest starting at 1:30 p.m.