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Purdue Fort Wayne
Winthrop
Winthrop's Offense Too Much as 'Dons Fall 5-3
9/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 13, 2009
Fort Wayne, IN – Two goals in the first 30 minutes of play, and a second-half offensive barrage, led the high-powered Winthrop offense to a 5-3 victory over the Mastodons to close out the Wingate Inn Classic.
The Eagles put scores on the board in the 15th and 30th minutes of the match, and with the early deficit building, it looked like the 'Dons were down on their luck.
Just a minute and a half after the lead had climbed to two, sophomore forward Colin Helmrich had the answer IPFW needed. Jorge Ramirez played a great ball down the middle of the field to a streaking Max Touloute. With just one man to beat, Touloute dropped a soft pass to a trailing Helmrich, who took the touch and fired IPFW's first goal of the game in the lower right corner of the cage.
The goal was the sophomore's first of the season and first points of his collegiate career. Helmrich played in all 17 matches a year ago, including 15 starts, but was unable to find the net on the year. Today those struggles disappeared.
After the Eagles hung another tally on the board just minutes into the half, Helmrich would see daylight again.
With the score at 3-1 in favor of Winthrop, an errant and routine cross from the 'Dons took a bad hop on the Eagle keeper and he swung and missed. Helmrich, already turned and headed back to the defensive side of the field, made a run at the wide-open ball and slipped it past the recovering keeper for his second goal of the day.
But neither team was through. With a combined five goals on the board, both the Mastodons and Eagles kept up the offensive pressure.
In the match's 61st minute, Winthrop's attack paid off again as Matthew Skonicki pushed the lead to two goals, converting on a nice cross from teammate Tomas Brennan. And once again, the 'Dons had an answer.
In the 77th minute, Liridon Qafleshi tried to feed the red-hot Helmrich in the box. Helmrich, with a hat trick before him, instead dumped the pass past a collapsing defense to teammate Jorge Ramirez who fired the shot at the back post for the third IPFW score of the game. Helmrich's helper capped off an impressive five-point day. Ramirez's score is his first of the young season.
As had been the case throughout most of the match, Winthrop's offense found a way to capitalize. In the 80th minute Eagle Said Abdi fired a shot that was deflected by 'Dons keeper Donovan Dowling and he followed the rebound for the fifth and final Winthrop goal of the day to close out the match 5-3.
Helmrich led the Mastodon offense with three shots on the match. Dowling posted five saves as well.
Coach Harper and the 'Dons will return to action next Friday as they host the St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash for a 7 p.m. kick off at the Hefner Soccer Complex. ~Dons~
