WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – A pair of goals in the second half helped lift the Lycoming College men's soccer team to its fifth straight win to seal the top-seed in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament with a 2-0 win over Widener University on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 31, at the Shangraw Athletic Complex.
 
The Warriors (14-1-2 overall, 7-0-1 MAC Commonwealth) extended their unbeaten streak to 16 games, as they finished first in the MAC Commonwealth for the first time since joining the conference in 2007. The last time Lycoming finished first in their conference was in 1995 when they posted a 5-1 record in the MAC Freedom.
 
Lycoming has earned the right to host throughout the MAC Commonwealth Tournament, beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 4, when they host the winner of Monday's first-round game between Arcadia and Widener at 2 p.m. at the Shangraw Athletic Complex.
 
Saturday's game with Widener (8-9-1 overall, 4-4 MAC Commonwealth) was typical of the first-place Warriors, as they allowed just eight shots, four in each half, while opening up their offensive scheme in the second half to fire 13 shots in the final 45 minutes and finish with 21.
 
Lycoming got on the board in the 54^th minute with as quick a strike as can be found in the game, as junior Josh Gildea (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) booted a punt nearly 75 yards down field, where it bounced high into the air, giving sophomore Duc Momo (Silver Spring, Md./Bethesda-Chevy Chase) time to get to it. After beating the last defender, he drilled a shot into the left corner before the charging keeper could get to it.
 
Lycoming had another chance in the 59^th minute, with Abdi getting the ball near the top of the box before dropping it back for junior Alfonce Mutuku (Beltsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic), who fired a shot over the crossbar.
 
The Warriors added another insurance goal in the 72^nd minute, with sophomore Kyle Thomas (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) heading the ball out of a scrim off a corner kick down to sophomore Keenthy Yeboah (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair). Yeboah fired a low shot that ricocheted off a player at the goalline and into the top of the net.
 
The first half was marked by aggressive midfield play, but both teams did get one quality chance. Widener had the first chance in the game, getting the ball into a scrum in front of the goalbox, with Tori Remondelli taking a shot into Gildea's chest before Zac Furia fired the rebound just wide. The Warriors responded off a corner kick, with sophomore Kyle Thomas (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) heading the ball down where sophomore Jordan Logan (Oxford, Pa./Oxford Area) found it and lifted it just over the crossbar.
 
The Warriors had a couple chances early in the second half, with Thomas heading a shot, but Widener keeper David Sousa was there to stop it. Less than a minute later, Logan had an opportunity, firing a shot from the left side to force Sousa to make a diving save.
 
Gildea (12-1-2) made four saves to earn his sixth shutout of the season and help the team post 10 shutouts for the second year in a row. Sousa stopped seven shots for the Pride.