Looking to start the season fresh at home with the opening of conference play, the VMI men’s soccer team fell to SoCon member Furman University by a 3-0 score Saturday afternoon at Patchin Field.
Furman was on the attack early and was able to sneak one into the lower left corner of the net from Danny Kierath after taking a short cross at the top of the 18 from teammate Eli Pinner at the 29:50 mark of the first half.
The teams traded shots for the remainder of the half for the Paladins to go in with a 1-0 lead at the break. Furman quickly struck again early in the second half when Eli Pinner sailed the ball into the upper right corner of the net after rebounding a Kevin Pahl shot that was deflected from 20 yards out.
Paladin forward Bobby Edet added an insurance goal late in the game on a breakaway in which he got behind the Keydet backline and pooched it past VMI keeper Alex Guerra for the game’s final score.
Furman outshot the Keydets by a 29-4 ratio with 12 on goal to VMI’s two. In a complete game, Guerra, who leads the nation in saves, earned nine throughout the match. On the other end, Furman goalie Sven Lissek registered two saves in the effort. The Paladins constantly pressed the ball into VMI territory, resulting in six corner kick opportunities.
VMI was led by senior forward Travis Borkey’s two shot attempts while David Harpen logged another. Dan Geyer added one off a free kick at the top of the box that sailed just wide right of the frame as the Keydets had a few close calls but none managed to cross the goal line.
The Keydets play their final non-conference match of the season Tuesday with a game at ACC opponent Pitt at 7 p.m. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. VMI then resumes league play on the road Friday at ETSU.
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