DOYLESTOWN (Pa.) – The Delaware Valley University men's soccer team celebrated the careers of its four senior student athletes before Wednesday night's game, and found reason to celebrate again after holding on for a 4-2 non-conference victory over Pratt Institute.
The Aggies got back to .500 at 4-4 overall while the Cannoneers fell to 1-6.
Before the game, the team honored the careers of its four seniors – Youssef Ait-Boulahri, Dan Marcolongo, Billy Moyer, and Evan Rapp. Marcolongo, Moyer, and Rapp are four-year contributors and team captains that have been staples of the program and combined for over 100 games played in their played careers. Ait-Boulahri, a dual-sport athlete and member of the men's wrestling team, joined the team prior to his junior season. The four student-athletes are all multi-time members of the conference academic honor roll.
In this contest, DelVal outshot Pratt, 11-3, in the first half and broke the scoreless tie in the 35th minute when Danny Henson collected a rebound off the crossbar and buried it from in tight. Cadel Bolden was the player to send the shot off the bar and got credit with the assist.
The Aggies maintained the 1-0 lead into the halftime break.
Henson netted his second of the game, fourth of the season, 10 minutes into the second as he snuck behind the defense and slid a ball past the keeper to put DelVal up by two. Less than 10 minutes later, first-year Aaron Osborne netted his first collegiate goal to make it a 3-0 contest. Chase Strohecker played a cross into the box that made its way to the far post where Osborne was there to tap it in.
The Cannoneers got a spark in the 72nd minute when they were awarded a penalty kick. Leading scorer Jared Rice took the shot and it was initially saved by DelVal keeper Andrew Roberto but the rebound came right back to Rice who tapped it in to cut the score to 3-1.
It was less than two minutes later when Rice sprung free and slid home his second of the game to pull within one, 3-2, with 17 minutes still to play.
The Aggies iced the game with 30 seconds left in regulation as Strohecker blasted one inside the post from 18 yards out for his fourth of the season. Osborne picked up an assist as he laid off a perfect pass for Strohecker to walk into.
Henson finished with two goals and Osborne and Strohecker each had a goal and an assist. Andrew Roberto earned the win in goal with six saves.
