Oct. 26, 2008

Box Score

DAYTON, Ohio - Junior Alex Torda scored a pair of goals to propel the Flyer men's soccer team past visiting La Salle, 3-1, in Atlantic 10 action Sunday at Baujan Field. The win improves Dayton's record to 11-2-2 overall and 5-0-1 in the conference. It marks the third game Torda, who leads the Flyers in scoring, has notched multiple goals.

“It feels good to get into the flow. Coach (UD head coach Dennis Currier) talks about how good teams find a way to win and that's what we were able to do Friday (in a 1-0 win against Fordham) and, fortunately, we played a little better today and capitalized on our chances," said Torda. "Hopefully we can keep it up through A-10 conference play and tournament and into the NCAA.”

Dayton built a 2-0 lead at the half with scores from Torda and senior Joe Olwig. Torda scored his seventh goal of the season to get the Flyers on the board first in the 28th minute. Junior defender Ryan Handbury built the attack from the back, sending a ball down the line to junior Jeff Popella, who took one dribble and center the ball into the box. Torda finished with a header past the keeper.

Olwig gave UD its 2-0 cushion after a corner kick from freshman Luke Baker. After the corner junior Ben Murray flicked the ball to Olwig who finished near post. His goal proved to be the game-winner. It's Olwig's fifth game-winning goal of his career, tying him for sixth all-time in the Dayton record books.

Torda scored his second goal of the match and eighth of the season in the 74th minute against the Explorers to give Dayton a 3-0 lead. Junior defender Sonny Renner dribbled nearly to the end line and sent a beautiful ball into the box. Torda had a side-winding one-touch that sent the ball to the back of the net.

"We've been very disciplined, defensively for the last three or four games,” said Currier. “I felt we showed a lot of discipline in the beginning part of the game until our offense got on and that's when the game changes in our favor. "We've proven to be very dangerous this year on the transition, on set pieces and making the best out of our opportunities.

"We did it against Saint Louis," added Currier. "Any good chance we got we seemed to put it in the back of the net."

The Explorers (2-10-3, 1-4-0 A-10) scored a goal in the 86th minute as Ryan Richter headed the ball past goalkeeper Tyler Picard off the service from Brian Barry.

It's the first goal the Dayton defense had given up in 386 minutes, after posting shutouts in its last three games. Picard had six saves in goal and the Flyers are 9-0-1 with Picard between the pipes.

The Flyers are on a 10-game unbeaten streak and haven't conceded a loss at Baujan in nearly two years - since Oct. 28, 2006. UD is unbeaten in 20 games since then and have a 17-0-3 record at home.

“We wanted to finish at home undefeated this year and we knew La Salle was going to be very gritty,” said Currier. “I don't think we started off the game like we wanted, but once we got the goal I thought we settled in and played really well after that."

UD must now take to the road. They play at Temple on Friday, Oct. 31 at 3 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 2 against Saint Joseph's at 12 p.m. Dayton closes out the regular season at Xavier on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.

"It feels good to be on top," said Currier. "Now we head on the road for our last three games and we wanted to finish off well here at home. We've still retained the first place spot and we'd like to go after the A-10 league title now."