BOX SCORE

Center Valley, PA (November 6, 2010) – The DeSales University men's soccer team scored three first-half goals and never looked back in the second half, defeating Eastern University, 3-0, for its fourth Freedom Conference Championship in the last six years and earning the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, set to be announced on Monday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (15-4-2) tie the school-record for wins in a season, also accomplished in 2005, have won eight straight games and are unbeaten in their last nine games. The eight-straight wins is one shy of the school-record of nine set in 1988 and the nine-game unbeaten streak ties the record, also set during the 1988 season. Eastern sees its season come to an end with a 12-6-1 overall record.

DeSales has now won eight straight Freedom Conference playoff games dating back to 2005, seven of which have come via shutout. Sophomore Steve Krause (New Tripoli, PA/Northwestern) was named the Freedom Conference playoffs Most Valuable Player, scoring two goals in the post-season as center mid-fielder. The Bulldogs five playoff goals came from four different players.

In the championship game win, DSU out-shot Eastern, 15-10, and had a slim 7-6 edge in corner kicks. Senior Jon Mill (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) opened the scoring 13:47 into the game when he found himself unmarked on a free kick from about 10 yards outside the box. Mill headed the free kick into the right corner of the net for his first goal of the season, staking DSU to a 1-0 lead.

The Bulldogs made it a two-goal game just under nine minutes later in the 23rd minute. After a ball was cleared out of the box by the Eagle defense, senior Aaron Gildner (Slatington, PA/Parkland) sent the ball back into trouble on the back post. Junior Jonathan Balfour (London, England/Conestoga {PA}) was there to receive the pass and he chested the ball to junior Derek Long (Wernersville, PA/Conrad Weiser) who let the ball bounce once and rocketed a shot into the net for his 16th tally of the season.

The half seemed destined to end with DSU leading by two goals before the Bulldogs unexpectedly scored a back-breaking goal with just 38.7 seconds left on the scoreboard.

Sophomore Tyler Nolan (Allentown, PA/Salisbury) sent a throw-in down to the corner flag where senior Rusty Helwig (Wescosville, PA/Emmaus) seemed to be content just holding the ball and running out the clock. Instead Helwig beat an EU defender and was able to dribble free into the box. He sent a centering pass to the middle of the goalmouth and senior Sean Baker (Sicklerville, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) re-directed the pass to the back post where Krause was standing and he volleyed the re-direction into the net giving DeSales an insurmountable 3-0 edge at the half.

The Bulldogs nearly made it a four-goal game early in the second half when both Balfour and Long had chances to net another goal but two diving stops from EU's John Crowder kept the Eagles in the game. Sophomore Adam Franczak (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) made three saves, including one diving stop midway thru the second half and Gildner cleared a ball of the right post also in the second half to preserve Franczak's eight shutout of the season and the team's 11th scoreless win of the year.

The Bulldogs will now await its first-round NCAA Tournament opponent which is scheduled to be announced on Monday afternoon. Once released details will be posted on the DeSales University athletics web site.