Box Score ANNVILLE, Pa. – A pair of second half goals broke open a tight contest as the No. 7 Franklin & Marshall men's soccer team earned its fourth consecutive shutout to open the season, blanking Wesley by a 3-0 score on Sunday afternoon in Annville. The Diplomats improved to 4-0 on the year, going 2-0 at the F&M/Lebanon Valley Tournament to secure first, while the Wolverines fell to 2-1.
For the second year in a row, F&M has opened the season with four straight shutouts, after holding its opponents without a goal in the opening eight contests of 2013, a mark that led the nation.
Ben Wild got the Diplomats on the board in the 33rd minute of the first, taking a long cross from Jason Tonelli and burying his second goal in as many days.
In the second, the contest remained close until Jared Bomba charged up the right side of the field and beat Wesley's goalkeeper, who came out of the net in an attempt to make an aggressive play, putting the Diplomats ahead 2-0 in the 60th minute.
Ben Draheim rounded out the scoring in the 81st minute, tallying the first goal of his career off a one-timer courtesy of a Dave Martin feed to seal the win.
Trevor Britton (4-0) was once again stellar in net, stopping one shot on the afternoon to pick up his third shutout of the year. Ryan Sanders of the Wolverines was handed the loss, allowing all three goals, while recording a pair of saves.
F&M led in shots at 13-3, including a 6-1 edge in the second frame. Chris Scott tallied three shots, while Bomba and Wild each registered a pair.
The Diplomats return to the field on Saturday, traveling to take on Elizabethtown in the battle for the Smith-Herr Boot. Action begins at 7:00 p.m.
