Tigers continue on their prowl

BALTIMORE (Map, News) -

The outcome of Wednesday’s NCAA Division I men’s soccer tournament contest at Towson Center Field hinged on a pair of three-play sequences. The 20th-ranked Tigers were able to capitalize on those opportunities for a 2-0 win against No. 23 Fairfield.

Towson (15-1-3) extended its unbeaten streak to 14 games and advanced to the tournament’s third round — the furthest a Towson team has ever gone.

The Tigers scored with six minutes remaining in the first half when freshman Kevin Ruck converted a Sean Cunningham corner kick that slid through the hands of Fairfield goalie Jon Paul Francini. The goal, Ruck’s fourth of the season, came on the Tigers’ third consecutive corner kick.

“It definitely gave us a big boost,” Ruck said.

Another turning point in the contest came halfway through the second half.

Towson goalkeeper Billy Chiles stuffed a penalty shot with about 20 minutes remaining in the game and deflected the ensuing rebound before a third Fairfield attempt cleared the crossbar.

“[I was] just trying to be composed and stay organized,” said Chiles, who made three saves for the team’s 11th shutout of the season. “I knew it was a big play and a big point in the game.”

He was able to guess correctly, diving to his right to stop an Alex Cunliffe strike. He credited reading Cunliffe’s plant-foot placement for the save.

While Chiles’ save was crushing to Fairfield, Towson coach Frank Olszewski wasn’t going to let his players relax.

“The old adage is, 2-0 is the most dangerous score in the game, because if one goes the other way, momentum just changes,” said Olszewski, who picked up his 240th career win Wednesday. “In terms of that, it was huge. They had two bites at the apple there, and he came up huge twice.”

Nino Mangione converted a rebound for the Tigers’ second goal at the 53-minute mark.

Towson will play the winner of Wednesday’s late game between Hofstra and Wake Forest on Sunday. Should Hofstra win, Sunday’s game will be played at Towson. If Wake Forest wins, the Tigers travel.

TERPS PLAY LATE: After earning a first-round bye, the Maryland men played host to St. John’s at Ludwig Field Wednesday night, with the game ending too late for this edition. Maryland, which entered the game 15-4-1, is a top-five seed in the tournament for the fifth straight year and will host another game if it advanced.

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