Box Score
WINTER PARK, Fla. – A torrid offensive stretch late into the first half and an insurmountable one-man edge in the second half helped No. 23 Rollins College pull away from the Eckerd College men's soccer program on Wednesday evening, 6-0.
The Tritons (2-2, 0-0 SSC) had their two-match win streak come to an end after beating No. 18 Clayton State (Ga.) University and North Georgia College & State over the weekend in Tampa.
The Tars (3-1-1, 0-0 SSC) managed to score three goals in each period.
Rollins had 21 shots to Eckerd's five and tonight's game did not count towards the Sunshine State Conference standings.
After the first 28 minutes of play resulted in a scoreless defensive struggle, Rollins opened the scoring.
Following a cross deflected off of EC's
Seb Marley defending down the line, Rob Crowley cleaned up with a hard shot that slammed off the concrete pillar after hitting net.
A few minutes later, the Tars moved the ball with speed down the field in a hurry and the Triton defense yielded a shot from the top of the box by Brett Durrance for the 2-0 lead.
With time ticking down before halftime, Rollins scored another goal off a free kick by Durrance, the ball finding the net after deflecting off the left post.
Durrance had a breakaway and a chance for the hat trick but a charging Virtanen forced him to hurry his shot at the last minute and ended up hitting the post.
Junior midfielder
Mark Lee was removed from the game after receiving his second yellow card in the 52nd minute and the Tritons played the rest of the match shorthanded.
The Tars exploited the one-man advantage as Alex Bisbee brought down a high bounce towards the front of the box and headed the ball point blank into the net at the 58:25 mark for a 4-0 lead.
Crowley rocketed another shot about 25 yards out that made the score 5-0 and freshman Grant Blackhurst snuck a shot under a diving Virtanen for the sixth and final RC score.
EC sophomore
Dean Hobbis had a one-on-one chance on the other end and his shot was blocked as he collided with RC goalkeeper Keneil Baker. Hobbis located the ball and recovered before Baker could get to his feet.
But a foul was called somehow whistled in the box and the EC scoring opportunity was gone.
Virtanen made seven saves on the night and Baker recorded one to earn the shutout.
The Tritons will begin conference play on the road this weekend at the University of Tampa. The match is scheduled to get underway at 5:30 p.m.
