No. 11 Men's Soccer Dominates Gettysburg, 2-0
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - In possibly its most complete match of the season, the No. 11 Swarthmore College men's soccer team (9-2, 4-1) used first-half goals from junior captain John Pontillo and sophomore McWelling Todman (pictured) as well as a suffocating defense to defeat Gettysburg by the score of 2-0 on a summer-like Sunday afternoon from Clothier Field Stadium.
Just one game removed from breaking the program record for career shutouts, senior goalkeeper David D'Annunzio made one save to post his 27th career clean sheet and third consecutive. In front of D'Annunzio, the Garnet defense was stifling, limiting the Bullets to just one shot on goal - in the eighth minute - and few scoring opportunities.
With the win over the previously first-place Bullets (6-4-1, 3-1-1), Swarthmore now controls its own destiny in the race for home-field advantage throughout the Centennial Conference playoffs.
The Garnet took the lead in the 30th minute thanks to a goal from an unlikely source. Senior Micah Rose's strong header from the center of the box was denied by Gettysburg 'keeper Connor Darrell. Fortunately for Swarthmore, defender Pontillo was waiting for the rebound at the near post. He corralled the ball and fired a shot through heavy traffic into the bottom left corner to make it a 1-0 game. The goal was Pontillo's second of the season and second of his career.
Now in complete control of the match, Swat added some insurance in the 42nd minute on a play executed to perfection. Junior Kieran Reichert's bending free kick soared over the Bullet's defense to freshman Geoff Stewart on the right wing. With plenty of free space, Stewart dished off to a streaking Todman on the left, who scored the first goal of his Garnet career, making a 2-0 game.
In the second half, the Garnet remained in control of the possession and the match. Thanks in part to the play of the midfield and defense, the Bullets did not record a single shot in the second half until the 90th minute.
The Garnet have not allowed a goal in the last 290 minutes of play.
The match got increasingly chippy in the second half, with four cards and 14 fouls issued.
Swarthmore returns to action on Wednesday when it travels to Scranton in non-conference action. Action is slated for 4:00 p.m.
