HCC Men’s Soccer Upset Hagerstown, Head To Semifinals

From HCC Sports Desk

HAGERSTOWN, Md.—The No. 5 Harford men’s soccer team upset No. 4 Hagerstown, 2-0, in the Region XX play-in game on Saturday afternoon at Hagerstown CC and will move onto the semifinals of the region tournament where the Fighting Owls (9-7-2) will face the College of Southern Maryland.

The Owls fell,3-0, during the regular season meeting against the Hawks, but came ready to play on Saturday as they dominated play, outshooting Hagerstown, 8-2.

Freshman goalie Taylor Dize (Bel Air, Md./Salem Christian) was phenomenal in the net for Harford, notching his fifth shutout of the season, making two saves in the 90:00, while Hagerstown’s Harold Little corralled five Harford shots.

Sophomore Curtis Ballard (Pylesville, Md./Harford Christian) and freshman Santiago Meija (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) each tallied two points for the Owls with a goal each, while freshmen Steve Landreth (Churchville, Md./Harford Tech) and Alex Leadore (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) each earned an assist.

Both teams played to a scoreless tie going into the half, with Hagerstown’s Mark Connelly picking up the Hawks’ first card of the game, a yellow at the 42:34 mark.

Ballard broke the tie with the eventual game-winner in the 63rd minute as he dribbled through defenders and shot from 20 yards out into the lower left corner to give the Owls the 1-0 advantage.

Harford would add an insurance goal less than 10 minutes later as Landreth fired a cross from left to middle that Leadore headed up before Meija took the ball off one bounce and buried it in the net from eight yards out in the 72nd minute to give the Owls the 2-0 advantage and eventual victory.

Mike Rohr picked up the second yellow for Hagerstown on the day at the 84:35 mark.

Both teams were each awarded three corner kicks, while Harford committed just two fouls to the Hawks’ five.

The Fighting Owls move onto the semifinal round on Wednesday, Oct. 22 when they will face #1 Southern Maryland at 11:00 a.m. at Chesapeake College.