(Posted October 29, 2005)

Juniata 1, Widener 0

Chester, Pa. ? The Juniata College men?s soccer team played some of its finest soccer of the season in the final two weeks of the 2005 and those strong efforts came to a head on Saturday as the Eagles earned a 1-0 victory over Commonwealth Conference foe Widener in the season finale Saturday afternoon. Juniata closes the season with a 6-12-1 overall mark and a 1-5-1 record in conference play. The Pioneers drop to 8-8 overall and 2-5 in conference.

Over its final five matches of the season, including three conference games, Juniata was 2-2-1 with one of the losses a tight 2-0 set-back to top-ranked Messiah College.

On this day all of the scoring took place in the second half. After out-shooting the Pioneer 4-2 in the first stanza, Juniata converted its only shot of the final 45 minutes. Kenneth Wiles (Rhinebeck/Rhinebeck, N.Y.) knocked in an unassisted goal in the 67 minute to give Juniata a 1-0 lead.

Widener frantically looked for the equalizer, notching four shots in the second half, and forcing Juniata keeper Mark Guthridge (DuBois/DuBois) into one save. Guthridge came on at halftime in replace of starter Tim Penrod (Moravia/Moravia, N.Y.) who made a pair of saves in the first half. Senior Nathan Pugh (Shippensburg/Shippensburg) played the final eight minutes in goal for the Eagles to preserve the shutout.

Widener keeper Mike Huminski had five saves in the match.

The six wins are the most by a Juniata men?s soccer team since the 2002 team finished with a 6-9-1 record.

The match was the final contest for four Juniata seniors. Pugh was joined by Robert Bowser (Dallastown/York), Kyle Dunn (Central Bucks East/Warrington) and Jeff Gehring (Exeter Township/Reading) in playing their career finale for the Blue and Gold.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.