Box Score Thomas More 5, Ohio Wesleyan 1Junior midfielder Phoenix Neitzelt (Delaware/Hayes) scored to erase a 1-0 deficit, but Thomas More got the go-ahead goal later in the first half and went on to record a non-conference win over 11th-ranked Ohio Wesleyan on Sunday at the Jay Martin Soccer Complex.
The Bishops had a couple of early chances after earning corner kicks, but a shot by senior midfielder Ricardo Balmaceda (Houston, Texas/The Village School) in the third minute and a header by senior midfielder Lonnie Barnes (Champaign, Ill./Centennial) in the ninth minute both sailed high.
Thomas More went up, 1-0, in the 14th minute after the Saints were awarded a penalty kick and Austin Juniet converted the opportunity.
Ohio Wesleyan answered in the 20th minute when junior back Nick Norman (Cincinnati/Oak Hills) sent the ball from midfield toward the penalty area. Just outside the box, the ball bounced off a Thomas More defender and to Neitzelt, who turned and fired a shot into the Saint goal.
The Saints took the lead when R.J. Best ran toward the middle of the field and dished the ball off to the right side. Best cut toward the goal, fielded the return pass, moved past a pair of defenders, and sent a shot inside the left post with 10:24 left in the first half.
The complexion of the game changed considerably early in the second half. Juniet was making a run into the Ohio Wesleyan penalty area. Junior goalkeeper Ben Farynowski (Grandview Heights) ventured out to challenge the play, and was assessed a red card, with Thomas More awarded a penalty kick.
Senior Michael McDermott (Alliance/Marlington), making his first collegiate appearance, stepped in to the Bishop goal to face Thomas More's Juniet, who had already converted a penalty kick in the game.
McDermott not only made the save on Juniet's penalty kick, but stopped Juniet's follow shot as well. The Bishops counterattacked and Barnes had a look at the Saint goal, but Thomas More keeper Jeff Paulin recorded the save.
With the Bishops looking for the equalizer while playing down a man, Thomas More added to its lead in the 60th minute when Best sent the ball ahead to Brian Runyon, who finished the chance to make it 3-1, and the Saints added goals by Matthew Spanyer in the 64th minute and Eli Nienaber in the 71st minute.
"That was a good old-fashioned butt-kicking," said Bishop head coach Jay Martin. "The first (penalty kick) was clearly a penalty, but we had a couple of chances, and things were looking good. We were pressing to make it 2-2, and 20 seconds later it's 3-1 and our goalkeeper's out. You can't give that kind of team that kind of momentum."
Thomas More outshot Ohio Wesleyan, 15-14. Farynowski had 1 save and McDermott made 3 saves in the Bishop goal. Paulin finished with 3 saves for Thomas More.
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