Diplomats net three in second half for 3-1 win over McDaniel

LANCASTER, Pa. - Matt Melino recorded a pair of goals to lead Franklin & Marshall to a 3-1 victory over McDaniel in Centennial Conference (CC) men's soccer action on Saturday.

The Diplomats (8-3-1, 4-1 CC) and Green Terror (6-6, 3-2 CC) opened play on Saturday as two of the teams in a six-way logjam at the top of CC standings and played the first half scoreless before the hosts put three on the board in the second half to ensure they would remain as part of the tie at the top of the standings at day's end.

David Cross (Odenton, Md./Arundel) tallied the lone goal for McDaniel, breaking up the shutout with 5:03 to play.

Off a ball that caromed off the defender in the 54th minute, Melino opened the scoring with a shot into the top-left corner of the net.

Exactly seven minutes later, Rob Hassler headed a ball into the right side of the net off a Giuseppe Bua feed, doubling the advantage with 29:11 to play.

On a free kick at the top of the box in the 77th minute, Rodrigo Nogales tapped the ball to Melino, who fired for a 3-0 lead.

Cross converted a penalty kick in the 8th minute for his fifth tally of the season.

McDaniel returns to action at Catholic on Wednesday. Game time is 3:30 p.m.

Score by Period                                    1            2            -            F
McDaniel (6-6, 3-2 CC)                                    0            1            -            1
Franklin & Marshall (8-3-1, 4-1 CC)            0            3            -            3

Scoring Summary:
F - Matt Melino, 53:49
F - Rob Hassler (Giuseppe Bua), 60:49
F - Melino (Rodrigo Nogales), 76:20
M - David Cross (penalty kick), 84:57

Shots: M 7, F 11. Corner Kicks: M 0, F 6. Fouls: M 24, M 14. Saves: M 4 (Robert Hollasch 4, 2 GA, 66 MP; Benjamin Knight 0, 1 GA, 24 MP), F 5 (Zach Zamek 5, 0 GA, 80 MP; Adrian Heredia 0, 1 GA, 10 MP).

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