Allentown, PA, (September 21, 2005) – The DeSales University men’s soccer team answered its regional ranking this week by upsetting the second ranked team in the region and the 13th ranked team in the country, Muhlenberg College, 1-0, in non-conference action on Wednesday evening.
The Bulldogs (6-1 overall) were ranked sixth in the latest NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional poll, behind the Mules (5-1 overall) who entered the game undefeated and ranked #2 in the region. The win is the second straight road win over a regionally ranked team after the Bulldogs defeated Drew University for the first time in 13 meetings on Saturday. The win over Muhlenberg is just the second all-time vs. the Mules who hold an 11-2-1 lead in the all-time series following their loss.
Junior Randy Sturm (North Cape May, NJ/Lower Cape May) was again the hero as he scored his seventh goal of the season on a beautiful header into the corner of the net over the MU goalkeeper off an assist from a free kick from fellow junior Kyle Fackler (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) at the 30:08 mark of the first half.
Sturms’ goal was all the DSU defense and sophomore goalkeeper Rusty Riedmiller (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) needed as Riedmiller made three saves and the defense led by Fackler and fellow defensive starters, junior Westin Wolfenden (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh) and a pair of freshmen Ryan Shivers (Cape May Court House, NJ/Middle Township) and Chris Ravita (Lebanon, NJ/North Hunterdon) recorded their fifth shutout of the season. This defensive group is starting to demand some attention having allowed just three goals over the first seven games of the season.
DeSales is off the rest of the week and return to action on Tuesday, September 27th as they host Delaware Valley College in a Freedom Conference game beginning at 4:00 pm.
