Aug. 29, 2008
Final Stats
VILLANOVA, Pa. - Sophomore Sean Mergenthal (Blackwood, N.J./Highland Regional High School) scored a pair of first half goals to help lift Villanova to a 3-1 victory over Temple in the season opener for both teams played here on Friday afternoon in a steady rain. The win gave new Wildcat head coach Tom Carlin a victory in his debut at the helm.
"I thought it was a pretty good effort for our first game," said Carlin, who spent last season as a Villanova assistant coach. "We have a good blend of old and new on this team and I thought we were solid for the most part. The veterans have taken on more responsibility and the newcomers have given our program a jolt of fresh energy.
"Turnovers hurt us a little bit in the middle third and that's something we have to clean up."
The fans who braved the rain didn't have long to get settled before the first score of the season was put on the board. The play began on a corner kick to the right side of Temple goalkeeper Brett Mollon. Senior Dan DeMasters (Littiz, Pa./Manheim Township H.S.) lofted a ball into the middle of the box that senior Miles Harrison (Louisville, Ky./Ballard H.S.) got a piece of with his head. Mergenthal then used his head to knock the ball past Mollon at 3:42 to give the Wildcats the early advantage.
"It was kind of shocking to score that early in the game," stated Mergenthal. "DeMasters played a great ball into the box and I was in the right spot."
Mergenthal, stationed at forward after spending much of his freshman campaign in the midfield, found himself in the right place again in the 28th minute. This time he was the beneficiary of a strong individual move made by freshman back Kevin Garcia (Flushing, N.Y./St. Francis Prep). Garcia dribbled past an Owl defender along the left sideline and angled toward the net. He then played a cross to Mergenthal who deposited the ball into the back of a wide open net.
Villanova held that advantage into the second half when freshman Will Ogden capped the scoring for the `Cats at 71:52. The play developed when junior Mike Seamon (Rahway, N.J./Union Catholic H.S.) created a chance with a move along the goal line. He found senior Joe Taylor (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood H.S.) near the top of the box and Taylor sent the ball in the direction of Mollon. Mollon got a piece of the ball but it came to Ogden who then sent a shot into the net.
Temple broke freshman goalkeeper Chris Bresnahan's (McLean, Va./Gonzaga H.S.) bid for a shutout in his college debut when J.T. Noone scored an unassisted goal at 80:36. Noone lofted a ball from 24 yards over Bresnahan's outstretched arms after gaining possession from a Wildcat defender.
Bresnahan made four saves in his first appearance.
"We're very happy with Bresnahan's effort today," stated Carlin. "We have two good freshman goalies with Chris and John Fogarty."
Villanova owned a 15-11 edge in shots over its Philadelphia Soccer Seven rival, including a 9-4 advantage in the second half.
The Wildcats won't see their home field on game day for the better part of the month. On Sunday, VU begins a stretch of six consecutive road games at Hofstra (7:30 p.m.). The next men's game at the Soccer Complex takes place when Seton Hall visits on Sept. 26 (4:00 p.m.).
