Bryan Defeats Nationally Ranked Virginia Intermont 4-1 - Oct. 4, 2006

     Bryan College defeated Virginia Intermont on Tuesday night to claim the
top spot in the AAC Conference standings.  VI came into the game ranked 18th nationally (NAIA) and left with a 4-1 loss.  Bryan improved to 8-1-2 (3-0-1) on the season as they head into homecoming weekend to host William Carey.
     Bryan began the game with VI focused on the task, applied heavy
pressure early in the game and in the 16th minute scored their first goal. Scott Davidson, (last week's AAC Player of the Week), stole the ball from the goalkeeper and deposited it cleanly into an empty net.  Three minutes later, a penalty was called on a VI defender and Davidson cooly stepped up and drove his 11th goal of the season into the right
corner.
    A few minutes later, goalkeeper Kevin Keeley came up with a huge save,
denying VI's Mark McCormick as he hammered a volley from the top of the box.
With six minutes remaining in the half, VI countered with a goal of their
own and the score remained 2-1 at halftime.
      Bryan came out prepared to play in the second half as Brazilian Manoel
Silva struck five minutes into the second half.  He recieved the ball on
the left side of the box and, after beating two defenders, pounded the ball
past a diving keeper into the right side of the net, bringing the Bryan
Faithful to their feet.
     The second half was increasingly physical and the referee was kept busy
as the clock wound down.  With six minutes remaining in the match, Jota
Silva set off Samba music across campus as the Brazilian finished off VI
with a free kick from 25 yards out.
      Bryan' s defense, anchored by Kyle Wagley, James Carmichael, Curt Hays
and Chris Kloc, was steady once again as they helped protect goalkeeper Kevin
Keeley's spot as the number one-ranked goalkeeper in the country (0.44
average in NCCAA Div. 1).  Bryan's defense has given up only 5 goals in 11
games, shutting out opponents six times in eleven games.  No team has managed
to score more than one goal in a game against the Lion defense this year.
     Coach Zensen was pleased with the performance saying," It was a team
effort tonight. It was enjoyable to see these guys work so hard for each
other.  A team that works for one another can accomplish great things."
     Bryan will host William Carey this weekend at 2:00 pm on Saturday.