Taiwo’s goal is winner as Shoremen take 4th match in a row

HAVERFORD, Pa. — The Shoremen rallied with a pair of first-half goals in the span of eight and a half minutes for a 2-1 victory here Sunday, their fourth win in as many matches.

Kent County High School graduate Mayowa Taiwo, a senior captain from Chestertown, netted what held up to be the winning goal in the 39th minute.

Washington improved to 3-1-1 in the Centennial Conference, locking into a three-way tie for second, and 7-2-4 on the season.

The road-weary Shoremen — they’ve been traveling since Oct. 5 — return home tomorrow (Oct. 19) to face off against their conference rivals from Gettysburg. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

On Sunday, host Haverford, which is still looking for its first conference win, took a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute off a set piece. Thomas Vanni played the corner kick short to a teammate, got the ball back and lofted a neatly placed cross into the box where Kieran Kunihiro was able to head the ball into the back of the net.

Washington freshman Jordan Waiganjo’s first collegiate goal, off an assist from Francesco Bertolini, leveled the score at 1-1 in the 31st minute.

Taiwo would put the Shoremen ahead for good as he finished off a feed from Tshazi Kamau with 6 minutes, 32 seconds remaining in the first half.

This was Taiwo’s first goal of the season and just the second of his career.

Washington headed into intermission with a 6-5 advantage in shots, while Haverford (2-8-4, 0-4-1 CC) led 4-0 in corner attempts.

Each side had five shots in the second half.

Yasir German had Washington’s only shot on frame after intermission, in the 66th minute.

Shepherd Koffie and Christopher Pinto each had a shot for the Shoremen and Samuel Knauf had two, but keeper Simon Bank was not required to make a save.

Haverford’s Vanni had a shot blocked in the 73rd minute; Aaron Park sent a curling shot that Cole White was able to get a piece of in the 81st minute for his third and final save of the match; and Aiden Lacy’s shot in the 89th minute was blocked as the Fords sought a last-minute equalizer.

NOTES: Washington’s 1-0 upset of No. 19-ranked Rowan there on Oct. 9 was the 100th career win for head coach Roy Dunshee, who came to Chestertown in 2012.

In 2021 he led the Shoremen to the Centennial Conference title and the round of 16 in the NCAA Division III tournament, and in 2023 he led the Shoremen to the national semifinals.