Mules come up just short vs. ranked foes

The Muhlenberg men’s soccer and field hockey teams both opened the 2009 season on Tuesday night with tough tests against top-20 opponents, and both came up just short.

Men’s soccer fell 2-1 to No. 20 Richard Stockton despite

Antonini makes a run down the field in the first half with four Ospreys in pursuit.

controlling the action for much of the game. The Mules outshot the Ospreys 19-5, but the Ospreys’ only two shots on goal found their way into the net.

Junior Tom Reilly appeared to give Muhlenberg the lead late in the first half, but his shot hit the underside of the crossbar and did not fully cross the plane of the goal line. Sophomore Cody Antonini scored the Mules’ lone goal with less than five minutes to play when Reilly headed the ball to his foot just a few yards from the goal and he banged it home.
Click here for box score.
Click here for a photo gallery from the game.

The field hockey team also turned in a similar performance that nonetheless ended in a loss. The Mules outshot William Paterson 15-9 and had an 18-4 advantage in penalty corners but fell in overtime 3-2.

Senior Tara Cohn scored on an assist from freshman Jaclyn Todisco just four minutes after the Pioneers initially took the lead, tying the score at 1-1. Cohn then opened the second half scoring with a long goal from the top of the circle at the 51:29 mark to give the Mules the advantage. But the Pioneers fought back and, after tying the score late in the game, put in the game winner 3:42 into overtime.

Muhlenberg put four shots past Paterson’s first-team All-America goalie, the two that went in and two that were saved by backs.
Click here for box score.

The volleyball team also opened its season with a loss, falling in three sets at DeSales. Senior Phylicia Lee had 8 kills and 9 digs for the Mules.
Click here for box score.