LEXINGTON, Va. – Five different senior players recorded points for the Washington and Lee men's soccer team in its 5-0 win over Bridgewater on Thursday night.
After both teams struggled to possess the ball in the first few minutes, the Generals (5-1-1, 1-0-0 ODAC) found their groove and dented the scoreboard in the ninth minute when senior midfielder
Samuel Bass (Charlotte, N.C. / Myers Park) found senior midfielder
Michael Kutsanzira (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe / Putnam Science Academy (Conn.)) for a goal from the top of the 18-yard box.
Bass then doubled the Generals' lead in the 23rd minute after some slick footwork allowed him to split a couple of Bridgewater (4-2-2, 0-1-0) defenders at the top of the box. Bass took an extra touch to his right and then fired his shot into the bottom-left corner of the frame.
Senior midfielder
Carson Cooley (Frederick, Md. / Urbana) added to the lead in the 43rd minute when he received a pass from senior forward
Patrick Rooney (Littleton, Colo. / Mullen) just inside the 18, and was able to finish from close range. The goal for Cooley marked the first of his collegiate career.
W&L added its fourth and fifth goals of the game in the 66th and 83rd minutes to close out the scoring. Senior midfielder
Tyler Smith (Alexandria, Va. / St. Stephens & St. Agnes School) scored on a penalty kick in the 66th minute, while sophomore midfielder
Lucas Pleasants (Raleigh, N.C. / Cardinal Gibbons) got on the score sheet in the 83rd on a left-footed shot from just outside the 18, beating the keeper inside the right post.
Bass's goal and assist gave him his second straight three-point game, while Rooney finished the night with a pair of assists, the second time in his last three games that he has had a hand in two goals in a game. Pleasants took three shots in the contest to record his first score of the year, while Kutsanzira logged his team-high tying fourth goal of the season.
In goal, first-year
Will Joseph (Wilmette, Ill. / New Trier) (5-0-1) earned the win after he made one save in 73:35 of action. Senior
Rye McMillen (Fairfax, Va. / The Heights School) finished out the final 16:25. The W&L defense limited the Bridgewater offense to just one off-target shot during that time.
Six different Eagles recorded a shot on the night, with junior midfielder Eric Ramirez tallying the team's lone attempt on goal, coming just 62 seconds into the contest. Sophomore goalkeeper Charles Schweinefuss (4-2-2) took the loss for Bridgewater, but recorded nine saves in the game.
W&L finished the game with a 27-6 advantage in total shots, which included a 15-1 margin in the second half, and an overall 14-1 count in shots on goal. The Blue and White also took 11 corner kicks and conceded four.
The Generals will get back on the field on Saturday when they travel to Shenandoah for a 4:30 pm start against the Hornets.
