ST. LOUIS, MO – The Panthers' Men's Soccer team clashed with the Fontbonne Griffins on a chilly Thursday night at Clayton High School in St. Louis. Fontbonne had beaten Principia 1-0 earlier this season, and came in just one game behind the Panthers in the standings, so both teams laid it all on the line to get a win.
The Griffins dominated the first half with organized defending and explosive counter-attacks. The Panthers would possess but could not find a way through. Fontbonne's counters led to two big opportunities, with the first forcing a point-blank save from goalkeeper
Torben Rehnert. The second attempt was a cross that was headed off the post, leading to a great defensive block from Zachary LeMasters off the rebounded shot.
In the 35th minute, Fontbonne launched a ball over the Principia lines. The forward lobbed a high shot over Rehnert, giving the Griffins a 1-0 lead. The Panthers had few attempts at goal with
Wizzy Afrani and
Effenberg Joya nearly breaking through the Griffins' defensive line, but Fontbonne took their one-goal advantage into halftime.
The Panthers came back in the second half bursting with energy. Their sharp possession was starting to deteriorate the hardened Griffins' defense. In the 64th minute, the Panthers won a free kick deep in Fontbonne's defensive third.
Parker Boyce thundered a dipping shot at the keeper, who was not able to hold on to it.
Christian Tresoldi was there to pounce on the opportunity, earning a goal back for the Panthers and fueling their hope for a comeback. Tresoldi's tally gives him important goals in back-to-back games.
In the final twenty minutes, the game turned up intensity as both teams pushed for a game-winner. The Griffins launched quick counters, while the Panthers continued to connect swift passes to drill through their defense. Tresoldi, Boyce, and
Wizzy Afrani all had shots on target, but they were unable to strike true to give Principia the win. The last minute of the match was filled with frantic attempts by both teams, but the final whistle sounded with a 1-1 draw.
The result means that Principia will either be the third or fourth seed in next week's SLIAC Tournament. A Principia win or a Fontbonne loss on Saturday clinches the third seed for the Panthers. However, if Fontbonne defeats Westminster, a Panthers loss or draw against Eureka would give Principia the fourth seed. Either way, they are guaranteed to host a first round game next Tuesday night!
Up Next: The Panthers play their final match of the regular season at Eureka on Saturday at 3:00 pm.
