LEXINGTON, Va. --- Sophomore forward Adrian Zimmerman (San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) scored four goals to highlight a strong offensive team output, as the top-ranked Washington and Lee men's soccer team defeated Baruch, 6-1, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday.
After falling behind by a 1-0 score in the fourth minute on a Baruch goal from senior midfielder Cormac Foley, Zimmerman knotted the game at one goal apiece just four minutes later on an assist from senior midfielder Connor Wharton (Littleton, Colo./Colorado Academy). Zimmerman then gave the Generals their final lead in the game in the 12th minute, scoring on a slick through-ball from sophomore midfielder Grant McCarty (Dallas, Texas/Parish Episcopal).
Less than two minutes later, junior midfielder Michael Kutsanzira (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe/Putnam Science Academy (Conn.)) made program history when he tallied his program-record 11th assist of the season on a goal scored by junior midfielder Samuel Bass (Charlotte, N.C./Myers Park).
Zimmerman scored twice more in the 20th and 30th minutes to build the W&L lead to 5-1 heading into halftime. Wharton added the team's sixth and final goal of the game in the 65th minute following a pass from first-year midfielder Weyimi Agbeyegbe (Atlanta, Ga./Westminster Schools).
In addition to Kutsanzira's record-breaking assist, the Generals' six goals marked the most for the program in an NCAA Tournament game, besting the previous high of four set in a 4-1 win over Frostburg State on November 11, 2000. The six tallies also gives the team 61 goals this season, which breaks the record for most goals in a season (57) set during the 2019 campaign.
Zimmerman's four goals were a career-high and were the most scored by a player in one game since Zach Colby netted four scores against Ferrum on October 7, 2014. Zimmerman now has 10 goals this season, trailing only Bass who scored his team-high 12th. Wharton's three points tied a season high, while his goal was his third of the season which broke a single-season career best total.
The Generals finished the game with 36 shots, led by eight from Zimmerman and six from Bass, while the defense allowed just three shots and none in the second half. Bass and junior midfielder John Peterson (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield) also added one assist each on Zimmerman's third and fourth goals.
W&L also gave three of its keepers about 30 minutes each of playing time. First-year Matt Semcesen (Waxhaw, N.C./Marvin Ridge) (3-0) started and made one save in the opening 29:39. Junior Rye McMillen (Fairfax, Va./The Heights School) covered the next 31:26, before senior Michael Nyc (Kildeer, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) played the final 28:55 in his first appearance since October 2.
The Bearcats were led on offense by Foley, whose goal came on one of his two shots in the contest. First-year midfielder Daniel Grishin assisted on Foley's goal. Junior goalkeeper Kellen Sela (7-7-1) played 86:07 and made 12 saves, before first-year Walter Hernandez covered the final 3:53.
The Generals advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, and will host Covenant on Saturday at 4:30 pm.
--- This release is courtesy of the Washington and Lee University department of athletic communications. ---
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