YORK, PA – The York College men's soccer squad continued their strong early season play as they blanked former Capital Athletic Conference foe Salisbury 3-0 on a beautiful Wednesday night in York.
The Spartans struck early and then completed the shutout as they improve to 5-0-2. The Gulls are now an uncharacteristic 0-5-2.
 
How It Happened
• The Sea Gulls had the first great chance of the game as Adrian Gonzalez hit a header that was saved by Spartan netminder Brady Bixler just 2:45 into the game. The Spartans got the next two shots but neither could find the mark. The teams would trade shots before the Spartans got a beautiful goal in the 16^th minute of the game. Matt Zeiders sent a great ball forward to an on-rushing Noah Roche who collected the ball just outside the box. Roche took a touch and blasted a shot across the goal mouth inside the far right post for the 1-0 lead. The goal was his first of the year.
• York made it 2-0 on another great goal in the 42^nd minute. The Spartans drew a Salisbury foul about 26 yards out above the left side of the box. Cole Kendra struck the free kick, curving the ball to the head of Dree Ruehlicke. Ruehlicke snapped a header into the goal for his second goal of the year and the 2-0 Spartan advantage.
• Salisbury had their best chance of the game in the 50^th minute as Sean Barwick crushed a shot off the cross bar after he got the ball all alone in the box. The ball caromed off the bar outside the box and the Spartans cleared the ball after the dangerous chance. The Spartans iced the game in the 56^th minute as Luke Nall started the play with a great individual effort. Nall took possession of the ball on the Spartans' defensive side of midfield. He made a fantastic spin move to beat a Salisbury defender. Nall then fired a long pass to Jack Mitzelfelt at the top of the box. Mitzelfelt beat a Gull defender to the ball and then one-timed a shot into the back of the net for his team-leading sixth goal of the year.
• The remainder of the game presented few great offensive chances for either team. The Spartans controlled the majority of possession as York notched their third clean sheet of the year.
• Salisbury outshot York 13-12 including 8-6 in shots on goal. Both teams had four corner kicks.
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans are now 17-28-6 in the all-time series against their long-time rivals … the five wins in their first seven games of the year is the fewest games to five wins since the 2013 season when York won five of their first six games en-route to a 19-3-1 season … the 3-0 win over Salisbury was the biggest win since the Spartans hung five goals on the Sea Gulls on October 9, 2019 in York … York is 4-0-2 in their last six home games against Salisbury … senior goalie Brady Bixler recorded his second shutout of the year as he made a season-high eight saves in the win … Bixler owns a 0.60 goals against average and a .906 save percentage as he is second in the Commonwealth in goals against average while his 29 saves leads the league … the Spartans have allowed a MAC Commonwealth low four goals in their seven games this year … Jack Mitzelfelt six goals ranks him second in the Commonwealth in goals for the year … Luke Nall now has three assists as he is tied for second in the league behind teammate Tyler Howlett who leads the Commonwealth with four assists.
 
Up Next
York concludes their season-high four game home stand on Saturday afternoon as the Spartans face the University of Rochester in a non-conference contest. The Yellow Jackets enter the contest 4-1-1 as they defeated SUNY Geneseo 2-1 on Tuesday. The match is slated for a 1:30 pm kick off at Graham Field.