WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Catholic University men's soccer team remained unbeaten in Landmark Conference play on Saturday afternoon, notching a 3-1 victory over Drew.
For the second-straight match, Gordie Bernlohr scored a lightning quick goal to set Catholic off to the perfect start. Just five days after scoring the opening goal against Susquehanna just 69 seconds into the contest, he pushed his side ahead today after just 47 ticks of the clock.
After Mudi Jagha won the ball back for the Cardinals in the middle third of the field, the ball came through Michael Hanlon to Domenico Caltabiano. Caltabiano slid an intricate ball through to Bernlohr, who raced onto it and smashed it home, sending the Cardinals into bedlam in the first minute.
Drew responded well, however, equalizing after just 13 minutes had elapsed. After a foul about 25 yards from goal near the far sideline, Drew caught Catholic out with a training ground free kick routine.
With a mass of players inside the penalty area, Jared Brown played the ball low to the top of the penalty area where Christian Tyson was making a curling run. After a couple of well-controlled touches, Tyson fired a low shot through a crowd of bodies and in at the far post to pull the Rangers level.
The Cardinals responded well and wouldn't be behind for long. In the 25th minute, Ben Zimmer found Bernlohr streaking into the penalty area. The senior touched the ball into the air in an attempt to elude an on-charging defender when it struck the outstretched arm of Caleb Omisore, leaving the referee no choice but to award Catholic a penalty kick.
Caltabiano set up and smashed home the spot kick to reestablish Catholic's advantage.
Drew nearly equalized again before halftime when Kevin Kiernan clattered the frame of the goal with a powerful strike in the 36th minute.
Just eight minutes after the halftime interval, Catholic scored its third goal following a set piece. Caltabiano put the initial ball into a dangerous area, and after Jagha and Owen Maher got touches on it, Maxim Pencak cleaned it up before wheeling away to the corner in celebration.
The match was a physical one that saw 39 fouls whistled and five cautions brandished.
With his tally, Bernlohr moves to six goals on the season. This marks the fifth time in Caltabiano's Catholic career that he has both scored and assisted in the same match.
Travis Beauchamp's side will now turn its attention to a midweek match with Elizabethtown. The Cardinals will travel north for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Tuesday night.