GW Men Roll past VMI in preseason exhibition

GW Men Roll past VMI in preseason exhibition
August 27, 2009
WASHINGTON, DC – Redshirt senior Mike Rollings (Olney, MD/Sherwood) netted two goals, including the game-winner in the 88th minute, to lift the George Washington men’s soccer team to a 3-2 victory over VMI in an exhibition match at Mount Vernon Field Thursday afternoon.

GW surrendered a 1-0 lead to VMI in the 15th minute, but responded with three consecutive goals to post the victory in its first and only tune-up prior to the 2009 season.

The Colonials open their season next Wednesday, Sept. 2, against American in the ninth annual DC College Cup at George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, VA.  GW, which plays Howard at George Mason Stadium Saturday, Sept. 5, is the two-time defending champion of the event.

The match was played in three 30-minute periods with VMI striking in the first stanza and GW scoring in the second to be knotted at 1-1 entering the final 30 minutes.

The Keydets scored nearly 15 minutes in on a goal from Zach Morgan set up by John Sisco.  Sisco made a run into the 18-yard box down the right wing and slid a crossing pass underneath charging GW freshman goalkeeper Brendan Lafferty (North Babylon, NY/St. John the Baptist) to lead Morgan in front of goal and an easy tap-in.

Rollings evened the match in the 38th minute when he forced a turnover in the Colonials’ offensive third and beat goalkeeper Brian Sowell one-on-one for an open net.

Both teams’ played back-and-forth despite hot and humid conditions for the next 38 minutes until senior Andrew Kroculick (Moorestown, NJ/Delran) broke through with a go-ahead goal in the 77th minute.  Kroculick collected a cross from senior Andy Stadler (Wauwatosa, WI/Wauwatosa West) on the left wing and dribbled to the corner of the box before unleashing a blast that beat VMI netminder Adrian Dominguez to the upper right corner.  Senior Kyle Albrecht (Silver Spring, MD/DeMatha Catholic) was also credited with an assist on the play.

Rollings spotted the Colonials a two-goal edge in the 88th when he deposited a left-footed shot from 15-yards away over Dominguez into the right side.  Senior Erick Perez-Segnini (Caracas, Venezuela/Watkins Mill (MD)) one-touched a long through-ball from freshman Jamie LaFleur (Potomac, MD/Winston Churchill) to Rollings, who beat a defender into the box before picking out the corner.

VMI kept things interesting with a goal by Patrick Karnwie in the 90th minute, but GW was able to salt away the final 39 seconds for the victory.

The Colonials held a 21-11 advantage in shots and 12-2 edge in corner kicks.  Lafferty made one save in the first period, redshirt junior Scott Goossens (San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius College Prep) made two stops without allowing a goal in the second and redshirt sophomore Erik Haug (Laguna Beach, CA/Laguna Beach) turned away two shots in the final period.

Sowell made five saves in 60 minutes of action for the Keydets, while Dominguez made three stops over the final 30 minutes.

Rollings also scored two goals in a 7-0 exhibition victory over VMI prior to the 2007 season.
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