Box Score by Benny Benton
SALISBURY, N.C. – Barton College found Wednesday night that it is not easy playing with a target on your back.
In their first game as a nationally-ranked squad, the No. 19 Bulldogs ran into a motivated Catawba College unit that scored two first-half goals – its first points of the season – and then held on for a 3-2 victory in the non-conference meeting at Frock Field.
Junior Kenny Bonilla assisted both first-half tallies and scored himself in the second period to help the Indians (1-2) get their first victory of the year. Bonilla was also a thorn in the side of the Bulldogs last year, recording a goal and an assist in Catawba's 2-1 overtime win.
After getting ambushed in the opening frame, Barton (2-1) came out of the gate quickly in the second half, scoring a goal in just two and a half minutes. Working in tight space in front of the Catawba goal, senior Erik Pajunk was able to get the ball to senior Jonathan Rembecki, who beat Indians keeper Christian Watts to cut the deficit to 2-1 and give new life to the Bulldogs.
Bonilla nearly delivered a crushing blow to the Bulldogs just 11 seconds later after getting open for a one-on-one opportunity in front of the BC net, but Barton freshman keeper Jens Madsen Hordvik was able to slide to his right and direct the ball just left of the net.
However, ten minutes later, Bonilla did find the mark, chipping the ball over the head of Hordvik after he had stepped forward to respond to a high-arching pass from midfield by Brian Woulfe.
The Royal Blue and White responded to the two-goal deficit once more in the 69th minute, as sophomore Alex David collected his team-high third goal of the year off an assist from junior Jovan Gracia. The play was set up by a corner kick from the left side by Pajunk that was redirected by the Catawba keeper towards Gracia, who was off the right post.
However, the Bulldogs managed just one shot on goal in the final 21 minutes, an attempt by Pajunk in the 85th minute that was stopped by Watts. Catawba had a chance to add an insurance goal with just over a minute to play on a free kick by Bonilla from just outside the box, but the ball deflected off the defender Gracia and went wide left.
Both sides took 13 shots in the match, with Barton putting four on goal and Catawba five. Both keepers were credited with two saves.
The loss leaves the Bulldogs still in search of their first victory in Salisbury as Barton College. The last time the program won at Catawba was in 1983, when BC was still known as Atlantic Christian College.
Barton hopes to get back into the win column in 2014 on Saturday when it visits the University of District of Columbia. The match was originally scheduled for 1 p.m. on the school's campus, but due to construction has been moved to 4 p.m. at Long Bridge Park in Arlington, Va.
