Following its 1-0 soccer win over Gilman last Monday, McDonogh was undefeated in the MIAA A Conference and pulling away in the race for the top seed for the playoffs. Three games later, the Eagles are clinging to a two-point advantage at the top of the conference with a perplexing 0-2-1 record over that stretch.
Tenth-ranked Calvert Hall, in the interim, is streaking. The Cardinals made it three wins in a row on the road on Tuesday afternoon, as they knocked off the now second-ranked Eagles, 2-1, in Owings Mills.
Last week the Cards defeated Archbishop Spalding and Loyola away from home, and the win over the Eagles on Tuesday gives coach Andy Moore’s squad 22 points in the MIAA A Conference, good for third place behind the Eagles (14-3-1, 8-2-1), and Gilman (12-2-3, 7-2-2).
The Greyhounds lost to Mount Saint Joseph (9-3-1, 6-2-1) on Tuesday in Roland Park, 3-2.
Connor Walsh put Calvert Hall ahead against the Eagles in the fifty-first minute of play, and John Tune scored four minutes later to give the Hall a 2-0 lead. Mike Dunbar figured in both scores.
Walsh scored off a rebound when Dunbar flicked Justin Breidenstein’s free kick onto the Eagle goal, and Tune scored on a pass through from Dunbar. It was the 12th goal of the season for Tune, who began his Calvert Hall career as a football player.
McDonogh’s talented Mike Gamble pulled his team to within one with 20 minutes to play, and the Eagles pressured Hall goalie John Dillon relentlessly down the stretch, but the Cardinals held on. Dillon had eight saves.
“Whenever you hear the name McDonogh, you know you are gonna be in for a fight,” said Dillon. “I knew their forwards were very skilled, so I did my best to keep our defense together, and keep the ball out of the net.”
Moore credited centerbacks Connor Walsh and Eric Borkowicz for their outstanding play.
Calvert Hall will try to keep their road show going when they travel to Gilman on Thursday. The top seed is very much back in play and the winner of Thursday’s game will keep the heat on McDonogh.
