Wilkinson Nets All Three Goals in Victory

CHESTERTOWN, Md. -- Freshman forward Brian Wilkinson (Sykesville, Md./Mount St. Joseph) recorded his second hat trick of the season to propel host Washington College to a 3-0 non-conference men's soccer win over visiting Cairn University tonight on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. With the win, the Shoremen improved to 5-1, marking their best start to a season in 35 years. The victory also ran Washington's win streak to four games, giving the Shoremen their first four-game winning streak in nearly a decade. 

Washington had a pair of excellent scoring chances 29 seconds apart with the score knotted at 0-0. Freshman midfielder Drew Thompson (Dumfries, Va./Woodbridge) blasted a shot that was saved by a diving Dave Shaffer, Cairn's goalkeeper, at 20:51. During the ensuing corner kick, Washington junior midfielder Bob Libera (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) tipped a ball with his heel that was played off the line by Cairn defender Nathan Woodcock at 21:20. The Shoremen broke through minutes later when Wilkinson scored on a shot to the upper right of the goal that just got under the crossbar at 24:39. Wilkinson scored again 2:28 later, finishing a give-and-go with Thompson at 27:15. The assist was the first of Thompson's collegiate career.

Wilkinson netted his third goal at 66:32 when freshman midfielder Dimitri Kaliakin (Landenberg, Pa./Salesianum School [Del.]) sent a ball ahead to senior midfielder Sam Wild (Chalfont, Pa/Central Bucks West), who sent a quick cross to Wilkinson who scored from 10 yards out. 

Sophomore goalkeeper David Myers (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) made two saves in the shutout for the Shoremen, while Shaffer finished with eight in the loss for the Highlanders. Washington enjoyed a 27-3 advantage in shots and a 9-2 advantage in corner kicks in the game. 

The Shoremen started 6-0-1 in 1978 en route to a 10-5-2 finish. Their most recent four-game win streak came in October 2003. Washington's five wins this season also matches its win total from all 15 of last season's games, while the Shoremen's 19 goals this season already surpass last year's total of 18.  

The Shoremen return to action Saturday with their Centennial Conference opener, a 4:00 p.m. home game against Franklin & Marshall.