No. 18 Tartans Win NCAA First Round Game Against Ohio Wesleyan

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The 18th-ranked Carnegie Mellon University men's soccer team defeated Ohio Wesleyan University, 2-1, in a first round game of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship on Friday, November 11 played on its home field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The win improves the Tartans' record to 13-3-2 and gives the program its sixth NCAA first round victory.

Ohio Wesleyan (10-5-3) struck early when Adam Yingling finished off a pass from Phoenix Neitzelt in the fourth minute. Neitzelt chipped a pass over the outside back on the right side and Yingling sped around him and one-timed a shot to the opposite post for his second goal of the year.

The Tartans were pounding at the doorstep to equalize with two shots on goal that were saved by J.P. Baughman before a foul in the box awarded a penalty kick to the Tartans. Junior Jimmy Jameson (Fairfax, Va./Oakton) calmly finished the PK attempt to tie the score at 1-1 in the 20th minute.

Sophomore goalkeeper Alec Lam (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) made a save in the 23rd minute while Baughman stopped a header by freshman Alex Dziadosz (Boxford, Mass./Phillips Academy Andover) a minute later.

Senior Devin Keane (Melville, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) entered the game in the 38th minute and 49 seconds later earned the assist on what would be the game-winning goal.

Freshman John Painter (Bethlehem, Pa./Moravian Academy) jumped in front of a defender's clearance at the 18-yard box and the ball ricocheted to the foot of Keane who one-timed a pass over the defense where freshman Elliot Cohen (Solana Beach, Calif./Canyon Crest Academy) ran around the defender and took one touch before burying the ball in the back of the net.

Not even two minutes later a shot by sophomore Zack Masciopinto (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) went just wide and the half ended with the Tartans leading 2-1.

Lam kept the Tartans in the lead in the 60th minute with a save on a shot by Luke Bean. An indirect free kick awarded to the Battling Bishops in the 62nd minute was from just outside the six-yard box was kicked clear by the Tartan defense preserving the Tartan advantage.

The Tartans nearly added a goal in the 70th minute but it was called back due to a player being offsides.

Ohio Wesleyan earned two corner kicks in the final five minutes but nothing came of them and the Tartans went on for the victory.

The Tartans will face 16th-ranked Calvin College in the second round of the NCAA Championship on Saturday, November 12 at 1:00 p.m. The game will be played in Pittsburgh. The Tartans and Knights have played each other in the NCAA tournament in 2008 and 2009 with each team winning once.