Davidson Rallies Past Harvard, 2-1

Sunday, September 8

Cambridge, Mass.

2:00 pm

Davidson College Athletics

2-0-1

Harvard

0-2-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Davidson	0	2	2
Harvard	0	1	1

9/8/2013 5:24:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Box Score

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Trailing 1-0 with just under 19 minutes to play, Davidson rallied with goals from Ryan Malden and Max Pragnell to come from behind and edge Harvard, 2-1, in non-conference men's soccer action Sunday afternoon.

With the win, the Wildcats remain unbeaten on the young season improving to 2-0-1, while the Crimson fall to 0-2-0.

"I'm really excited for the guys," said Davidson head coach Matt Spear. "We had to dig down deep in a game that was very direct and I thought we responded and reacted very well to come away with the win after going down a goal."

Shortly after Harvard's Ashi Gerberkidane broke the scoreless tie, Malden provided an equalizer in the 73rd minute when his long throw-in into the box was challenged by midfielder Alan Reiter, and the ball went off Harvard's goalie across the goal line.

Pragnell, who set up all three goals in the Wildcats' two results last weekend, couldn't have picked a better time to net his first collegiate goal. With just over two minutes to play, Chris Pettiglio, a senior co-captain from nearby Westford, Mass., found Pragnell at the top of the box and the freshman put away the game-winner with a low drive past Crimson keeper Brett Conrad.

"It was pretty special to have my friends and family here to see us come away with a great team win," commented Pettiglio.

Backup keeper Andrew Kenneson came up big for the Wildcats in the closing seconds when he turned away a Ross Friedman header on frame to preserve the win.

Davidson's Matt Pacifici stopped seven shots and Kenneson blocked three, while Conrad finished with three saves for Harvard.

The Wildcats nearly jumped out to an early lead in the sixth minute when an Alec Rotunda low drive found its way through the box and hit the right post.

"Harvard, like Davidson has a beautiful campus with awesome academics, so it was special to defeat a like-minded school," Spear said.

The Wildcats finished with an 18-16 edge in shot attempts.

Davidson returns to Alumni Stadium Wednesday evening for a 7 p.m. contest against in-state foe Campbell.