GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Michael McLaughlin (Swampscott, MA/Northfield Mt. Hermon) netted a pair of goals, including the game-winner, as Gettysburg downed Eastern 3-1 in non-conference men's soccer action on Saturday.  The win improves the Bullets' record to 7-3 overall.

     In a game that characterized by high-intensity play, it took McLaughlin a mere 24 seconds to find the back of the net for his first goal on the day.  Freshman Will Hohman (Landenberg, PA/St. Marks) received the ball at the top of the box, feinted a run on goal and then slipped the ball to McLaughlin, who used the first shot of the contest to bury the ball to the left of Eagle goalkeeper Erik Constanzer.  Constanzer notched five saves on the afternoon.

     Despite the speed of Gettysburg's initial attack, the Eagles shifted the offensive action to their advantage, getting the equalizer from Patrick Laurent at the 37:02 mark.  Laurent, the nation's leading goal scorer in 1998 and Pennsylvania Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 1999, received the ball at the 18 and slipped a pass to leading scorer Brian Dennstaedt.  Dennstaedt sliced the pass back across the box where Laurent cut it past Bullet goalie Nick LaPorta (Chevy Chase, MD/Bethesda -Chevy Chase).  LaPorta tallied six often-key saves during the game.

     After Eastern's goal, it took Gettysburg only 2 minutes, 30 seconds to reclaim the lead for good, this time off a McLaughlin direct kick from 25 yards out.

     The onset of the second half found Eastern pressing for the tying goal and notching five shots before Gettysburg pushed into the Eagles' defensive third.  The Bullets added insurance when freshman Cameron MacLean (Riverside, CT/Greenwich, Folsom) netted his first collegiate goal in the 71st minute.  Senior Wes Thurmond (Rochester, NY/McQuaid Jesuit) used a long throw-in to deliver the ball inside the Eagle 18-yard box, where MacLean flicked the headball into the near post.

     The Bullets outshot the Eagles 16-12 while Eastern held the 10-4 advantage in corners.

    Gettysburg returns to action on Tuesday, October 3 at home against Centennial foe Haverford College.  Game time is 4 p.m.
 
Score by Half

Scoring
G -- Mike McLaughlin (Will Hohman), 0:24
E -- Patrick Laurent (Brian Dennstaedt), 37:02
G -- McLaughlin (direct kick), 39:41
G -- Cameron MacLean (Wes Thurmond), 70:58

Shots: E 12, G 16. Corner Kicks: E 10, G 4. Fouls: E 18, G 15. Goalie Saves: E 5 (Erik Constanzer), G 6 (Nick LaPorta).