Box Score BOSTON, Mass. – An edge-of-your seat match awaited the Emerson Men's Soccer Team Saturday afternoon as they went head-to-head with NEWMAC foe Wheaton in a gritty 4-3 loss. Adam Halliday put away two goals in the game as the Lions are now 6-8 overall and 0-5 in the NEWMAC while Wheaton moves to 11-5 and 4-1 in conference play.
The first half saw the Lions come out to play physical against the Lyons with nine to Wheaton's two fouls. The Lyons struck first in the match though after Carter Bowers stepped up for a huge stop, but the rebound fell to the feet of Travis Blair who put it away.
Wheaton wasted no time attacking again, putting another goal away a minute later with a breakaway leading to a cross to Ben Altneu to make it 2-0. Emerson scrapped back in the 17th minute of action after a Wheaton foul set up Adam Halliday for a penalty kick that rattled the goal as it was pocketed to make it 2-1 Wheaton at the half.
More fireworks awaited in the second half of the game, this time with the Lions using their heads to tie it up with Wheaton as Jeremy Leder placed a perfect ball that Adam Halliday knocked into the top right corner off his head to tie it 2-2. Emerson took the momentum off of their last two goals in the 70th minute of action as well as they played mind games again with Austin Alphonse putting up a high pass in the box that Ole Eriksen headed into the top right to take the 3-2 lead.
With a long 20 minutes left in the game, Emerson pushed as hard as they could on defense as the game got chippy with 20 fouls between both teams in the half. Wheaton took a page from Emerson in the 78th minute though as Scott Enman headed in a ball to knot it at 3-3.
With the game headed towards the closing minutes, the Lyons found the last bit of energy to surge past EC as Ben Altneu pulled back for a bullet that found the back right corner with less than 3 minutes left on the clock to close out the 4-3 win.
The Lions will return to action this Wednesday as they set to host Fisher at Rotch Field in Boston for a 6 p.m. game.
