MISHAWAKA, Ind. — The #9 Bethel Pilots fell short of a second-half comeback after trailing 3-1 at halftime against the (RV) Marian Knights Wednesday night under the lights at Morey Field.
With the loss, Bethel falls to 9-4-2 and 2-4-0 in the Crossroads League, which puts the Pilots seventh in the conference standings above Taylor at 1-3-2. The Knights sit underneath Indiana Wesleyan in third place at 4-1-1 and improved to 11-2-2 on the season.
Bethel started the match firing with Sami Charaf Amal missing high in the fourth minute, Manuel Garcia launching a right boot high in the 10th minute, and Jovaunn Ramos getting underneath for a high miss seconds later.
The first goal came in the 29th minute from Sami Charaf Amal for his second goal this season, assisted by Manuel Garcia (second assist).
The Knights hit the equalizer in the 30th minute from Donovan Doolittle’s look off Kyle Alb’s shot off the crossbar to tie the game 1-1.
The game-leading Knight goal was an unassisted look from Cameron O’Brien who took on a defender one-on-one in the box to take the lead 2-1 in the 38th minute, then O’Brien netted an insurance goal in the 42nd minute, taking advantage of a Pilot’s offside possession and go into halftime up 3-1.
Piero Sabroso missed wide left in the 47th minute, and Charaf Amal took a corner right after that went empty for the Pilots in one of many attempts to climb back.
Julian Vargas Talamantes hit his third goal this season off Charaf Amal’s corner to bring the game to 3-2 in the final push to tie the game.
Sabroso, who was guarded heavily all night, fired wide right in the 74th minute and was blocked in the 76th minute in the Pilots push, followed by Jovaunn Ramos sending one high in the 79th minute, but the Pilots could not find the net before the clock winded down for the 3-2 loss.
Bethel took a total of 23 shots with eight on frame, 14 were taken in the second half versus Marian’s two shots in the second half. The Pilots also took eight corners with five in the second half.
Next up for the Pilots is the US Highway 20 Cup against the Goshen Maple Leafs on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Goshen College Soccer Complex.