Is the AU men's soccer team on a slippery slope? If so, then that same slope is as crowded as a Vail, Colorado, ski slope around Christmas.
Six teams remain alive for the top spots in the 2012 GLIAC men's soccer standings. Of that group, no one has less than two losses. That team, Saginaw Valley State, also has a pair of ties. The way this race is going, momentum can change direction in a minute. While AU is in the midst of a rough patch, a win or two could change the entire complexion of the sprint to the finish.
Sunday (Oct. 14) at AU's Ferguson Field, SVSU was able to hold off Ashland, 1-0. The Cardinals have two 1-0 wins over the Eagles in 2012. The loss was AU's fourth in its last five games. Interestingly, the lone win during that stretch for the Eagles was a victory over Gannon, ranked second in the country at the time.
AU is 7-5-1, 5-5 in GLIAC play. The Cardinals are 9-2-3, 5-2-2 in the league.
On Sunday, both teams contended with a wind that gusted to 20 miles per hour. Going into that breeze caused some issues. The lone goal of the day came at 71:54 when Lachlan Savage scored on a header from a throw-in. The goal was Savage's sixth of the season and the assist went to Robert Short.
"We gave up a goal on a set piece," pointed out AU head coach Jon Freeman. "It seems to be a thorn in our side."
Both teams had other opportunities to score. With 25 minutes left in regulation, AU's Eric Ashley (Akron, Ohio/Coventry) drilled a shot off the crossbar. Ashland also missed on a header with 4:24 remaining in the game and with 14 ticks left another header was barely off the mark.
SVSU's Zach Walega had an excellent opportunity to put his team up by two goals with 2:06 to go as he got space one-on-one down the middle of the field. AU keeper Justin Nolan (Medina, Ohio/Medina Highland) turned away that attempt. Nolan and SVSU keeper Jason Wise had six saves each.
The good news for the Eagles is that even though they lost, they were able to mount several good runs in the second half. Both teams had eight shots in the final 45 minutes.
"We should have been a little more aggressive going forward," said Freeman in recapping the game. "They did a good job of pressuring us and we didn't do a good job handling that. The second half, I thought we came out well and battled more."
AU has three GLIAC games remaining and all of those are on the road. The first of those games is this coming Friday (Oct. 19, 3:30 p.m.) at Findlay. Earlier this season the Eagles defeated the Oilers, 3-0.
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