COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – A week removed from surrendering three goals in the first 15 minutes of a loss at Misericordia, the Ursinus College men's soccer team returned the favor on visiting Cabrini Saturday, opening the scoring just 19 seconds in and knocking in two more in less than 11 minutes on the way to a 4-2 non-conference victory at Patterson Field. Senior midfielder Noah Kimelheim netted the first two goals for the Bears, including an almost record-breaking finish, and classmate Joe DeMarco tallied the first of his career in the program's highest-scoring half since 2012.
Kimelheim needed all of eight minutes to match his career goal-scoring output, starting with the team's fastest opening strike since joining the Centennial Conference and one that missed the all-time program mark by just a second. According to available records, Ursinus (2-1) had not scored so quickly in a game since doing so in 18 seconds in a victory over FDU in 1985. That was until Kimelheim pounced on a careless miscue by Cabrini (2-2). The Bears' captain stepped in front of a pass in the defensive zone and unleashed a booming right-footed rocket from nearly 30 yards out, scorching the ball past the stunned Cabrini keeper for a lightning-fast lead. The blink-and-you-miss-it finish was among the five fastest in CC history, the record being one scored just 10 seconds in by a Gettysburg player in 2000.
Kimelheim struck again at the 7:56 mark with another highlight-reel finish, this time volleying a cross from sophomore Ben Amaral into the back into the back of the net with a powerful boot.
The Cavaliers answered just over a minute later, but Amaral got into the scoring column only 101 seconds later, completing a stretch of three goals – two by Ursinus – in just under three minutes. This one was another beauty, a tap-in at the far post after senior captain Ryan Molyneaux's free kick got through traffic untouched and found Amaral's waiting foot for his 13th career assist, moving him into the top 10 in school history. Amaral's tally was the second of his career.
DeMarco opened his collegiate account at 30:41, when he blasted in a loose ball in the center of the box to extend the Bears' advantage to 4-1. DeMarco's goal marked the first time Ursinus scored four in a single half since a 5-0 rout of Gwynedd Mercy in the 2012 season. The Bears could have had more – junior Kyle Woulfe headed one off the crossbar in the 7th minute. Cabrini brought back the 2015 CSAC Defensive Player of the Year in Ryan New to a defense that surrendered just 25 goals in 21 games last season, but Ursinus consistently found soft spots in the Cavaliers' formation.
A.J. Bishop got one back for Cabrini in the 53rd minute, and the visitors nearly pulled within a goal in the 73rd, but sophomore Brandon Lillian was able to palm a header by Joe Fiore onto the crossbar and out for a corner. The Cavaliers had a dozen corner-kick opportunities, but none were successful.
Amaral and senior Justin Mendez took three shots apiece to headline the attack for Ursinus, which was outshot 15-14. Bishop and Jared Irwin recorded four shots each for Cabrini, which held a 12-3 advantage in corners.
Lillian finished with four saves to earn the win in his first career start, while C.J. Serratore matched him in defeat.
Ursinus continues its non-conference schedule on Wednesday, September 14 at King's (Pa.) before entertaining Gettysburg in the Centennial Conference opener on Saturday, September 17.
