The Malone University men’s soccer team wrapped up its 2009 campaign on Thursday afternoon with a 3-2 American Mideast Conference win at Shawnee State University.  Freshman midfielder Philip Fisher (pictured left, Lake H.S.) broke a 2-2 in the 79th minute, delivering the game-winning score with an unassisted goal.  The win boosted Malone’s final record to 5-12-1 overall and 3-6 in the AMC while Shawnee State dropped to 7-8-1 overall and 1-7-1 in the conference.

The Pioneers jumped out to a 1-0 lead seven minutes into the match as senior midfielder Ross Cochran (Paisley, Scotland) assisted sophomore midfielder John David Eades (Central Christian H.S.) on his first goal of the season.  Malone’s advantage then grew to 2-0 in the 52nd minute as freshman forward Adam Sharpnack (Pittsburgh, PA) netted his team-leading sixth goal of the year off a cross from freshman forward Samuel Erchick (Alliance H.S.).  The Bears pulled to within 2-1 less than five minutes later and then tied the match on a header in the 72nd minute.  However, Shawnee State was unable to take the lead and Fisher quickly answered back for Malone, putting the Pioneers in front for good after stealing the ball deep in the Bears’ zone and firing a shot into the net.

Malone held a 7-5 advantage in total shots on goal as Pioneer keeper Warden Neuenschwander (Jr., Linden, VA) made three saves.

Malone Notes: The Pioneers increased their win total by two matches in 2009 and will finish seventh out of ten teams in the final AMC regular-season standings…Sharpnack’s total of six goals on the season is the highest individual goal output for a Pioneer since  2006 when Alex Ferrandez, Rick King and Marcos Batchelor each notched six goals apiece.

The Malone University men’s soccer team dropped a 5-0 American Mideast Conference decision on the road to Mt. Vernon Nazarene University on Tuesday afternoon as the Cougars scored three first-half goals to pull away for the win.  The Pioneers’ record fell to 4-12-1 overall and 2-6 in the AMC with the defeat while MVNU improved to 11-5-1 overall and 5-2-1 in the conference.

The Cougars netted goals in the 11th, 21st, and 41st minutes to take a 3-0 lead at intermission and then put the match out of reach with two more scores in the second half.  Mt. Vernon Nazarene held a 30-8 advantage in total shots and a 15-2 advantage in total shots on goal.  Malone keepers Warden Neuenschwander (Jr., Linden, VA) and Phil Bookhamer (So., Edinboro, PA) combined to make eight saves. 

The Pioneers will wrap up their 2009 campaign on Thursday with a 4:00 p.m. match at Shawnee State University (7-7-1 overall, 1-6-1 AMC).

The Malone University men’s soccer team lost a hard-fought American Mideast Conference match at home to Cedarville University on Saturday afternoon as Yellow Jacket midfielder Jason Bender broke a 2-2 tie in the 87th minute after heading the game winner into the net off a corner kick.  The loss eliminated Malone from AMC postseason contention while dropping the squad’s record to 4-11-1 overall and 2-5 in conference.  Cedarville improved to 10-3-3 overall and 5-0-2 in the AMC with the victory.

The Yellow Jackets held a 2-0 lead at intermission after scoring penalty-kick goals in the seventh and 37th minutes.  Freshman forward Alex Hall (Massillon Washington H.S.) pulled the Pioneers to within 2-1 in the 58th minute off a pass from freshman forward Adam Sharpnack (Pittsburgh, PA).  Then, despite playing a man down due to a red card in the 71st minute, Malone was able to knot the match 2-2 at the 75-minute mark when Sharpnack assisted freshman midfielder Allen Meffan (Lake H.S.) on his second goal of the season.  The contest appeared to be headed for overtime before Bender delivered the game winner with less than three minutes remaining in regulation.

Cedarville held a 7-4 advantage in total shots on goal as Malone goal keeper Warden Neuenschwander (Linden, VA) made four saves.

The Pioneers will return to action on Tuesday with a 3:30 p.m. match at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University (10-5-1 overall, 4-2-1 AMC).

Postseason Picture: The top five finishers in the final AMC regular season standings qualify for the conference’s postseason tournament.  Finishers one, two and three receive first-round byes as the fourth and fifth place teams will square off in quarterfinal match on November 7th.  The winner of the five-team tournament receives the AMC’s lone automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament.

With an AMC record of 2-5, Malone is currently seventh in the standings, nine points behind fifth-place Walsh University.  Although the Pioneers have two conference matches remaining on their schedule (at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University on Oct. 27 and at Shawnee State University on Oct. 29), they will not be able to close the gap with the Cavaliers.

The Malone University men’s soccer team fell at home on Monday afternoon to NCAA Division III Franciscan University by a final tally of 5-2.  The Pioneers held a 2-1 advantage 11 minutes into the match but the Barons then registered four unanswered goals over the remainder of regulation to record the come-from-behind victory.  The non-conference loss dropped Malone’s overall record to 4-10-1 on the season while Franciscan improved to 8-6.

The Pioneers jumped out to a quick 1-0 advantage in the fourth minute of play as freshman forward Adam Sharpnack (Pittsburgh, PA) notched his team-leading fifth goal of the season off a pass from senior midfielder Ross Cochran (Paisley, Scotland).  After Franciscan pulled even with a score in the 10th minute, Cochran pushed Malone back in front two minutes later with a penalty kick goal.  It was all Barons from that point, however, as the visitors pulled even at 2-2 with a score in the 17th minute, took their first lead of the game in the 39th minute and then put the match out of reach with two more goals late in the second half.

Franciscan held a 9-5 advantage in total shots on goal in the contest.  Pioneer keeper Warden Neuenschwander (Jr., Linden, VA) made four saves while Baron keeper Kevin McCartney stopped three shots.

Malone will return to American Mideast Conference play on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. as the squad hosts its final home match of the year against Cedarville University (8-3-3 overall, 3-0-2 AMC).

Postseason Picture: The top five finishers in the final AMC regular season standings qualify for the conference’s postseason tournament.  Finishers one, two and three receive first-round byes as the fourth and fifth place teams will square off in quarterfinal match on November 7th.  The winner of the five-team tournament receives the AMC’s lone automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament.

With an AMC record of 2-4, Malone is currently seventh in the standings, five points behind fifth-place Cedarville.  In order to have a shot at qualifying for the AMC Tournament, the Pioneers would likely need to win at least two of their final three conference matches (home against Cedarville on Saturday, at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University on Oct. 27, and at Shawnee State University on Oct. 29).

The Malone University men’s soccer team lost an American Mideast Conference match at Houghton (NY) College on Saturday afternoon by a final tally of 4-0.  The Highlanders held a 2-0 lead at intermission after scoring in the 21st and 34th minutes and then tacked on two more goals midway through the second half to put the contest out of reach.  The loss dropped the Pioneers’ record to 4-9-1 overall and 2-4 in the AMC while Houghton improved to 8-6-1 overall and 5-1-1 in the conference.

The Highlanders held a 12-5 advantage in total shots on goal as Malone keeper Warden Neuenschwander (Jr., Linden, VA) made eight saves.