Atlanta Soccer News: Art, Music and Culture: College Update: Darton men's soccer team captures Region 17 title

College Update: Darton men's soccer team captures Region 17 title

Cavaliers score a 3-1 victory over Georgia Military

Jonas Bukh

##ALBANY — The Darton State College men’s soccer team beat Georgia Military College 3-1 on Sunday to capture the program’s fifth Region 17 Championship. The Cavaliers also punched their ticket to the NJCAA National Championship Tournament with the victory.

##“It was a long time coming,” Darton men’s soccer coach Bart Sasnett said.

##It was a game that began with frustrating moments for the Cavaliers who found their forward and the nation’s top goal-scorer, Darwin Espinal, often tightly marked by two defenders. Forward Mat Ayrolla, however, scored the game’s first goal off an assist from Espinal to give Darton a 1-0 lead at the half.

##Georgia Military didn’t drop their heads, however, and fought back and scored first in the second half.

##The Cavaliers leaned on Ayrolla, Kevyn McFairlane and Espinal, but it was a freshmen midfielder who took Darton out of a gridlocked 1-1 tie with a game-winning goal in the second half.

##Jonas Bukh sped past GMC’s back line to meet a through ball from Ayrolla, beat a defender, and drilled a right-footed shot from the top of the 18 to give Darton a 2-1 lead.

##With about ten minutes remaining, Espinal’s moment came when he beat three defenders, suddenly turned and whipped a shot into the Bulldog net to score unassisted from 25 yards.

##“We played our style, stayed disciplined and didn’t get caught up in any of the rhetoric,” Sasnett said, which was his fourth Region 17 title.

##Darton is now 12-5-1 overall and 5-1-1 in conference play. They will travel to the NJCAA D-1 Men’s Soccer Championship in Prescott, Ariz. Nov. 17 – 22.

##Espinall was named the Tournament MVP and was a member of the Region 17 first team. He was joined by defender Garrett Dunton and McFarlane.

##Goalkeeper Trevor Newman, midfielder Matt Treumun and Ayrolla were named to the second team.

http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2014/nov/02/darton-men8217s-soccer-team-captures-region-17/