Related Links:
Box Score

TIFFIN, Ohio – The Capital University men's soccer team rallied furiously for an equalizer in the final 20 minutes Wednesday, but came up just short in a 3-2 defeat at Heidelberg in an Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinal match on a frigid, rainy evening.

The Crusaders finish the 2012 season with a 9-6-4 overall record and ended the regular season in fifth place in the league at 4-3-2.

After fifth-seeded Capital scored just under four minutes into the match, the No. 4 seed Student Princes (10-6-3) tallied three consecutive times in the next eight minutes, taking a 3-1 lead in the 12th minute.

The Crusaders cut the deficit to one in the 65th minute, but Heidelberg fought off a furious Capital rally over the final 20 minutes of the contest to advance to the OAC Tournament semifinals at No. 1 seed Ohio Northern this Friday.

Sophomore R.G. Florey (Westerville, Ohio) found the back of the net for the eighth time this season in the fourth minute to put the Crusaders ahead 1-0. Florey blasted a free kick into the lower left corner from over 20 yards out.

Florey found junior Tim McCarthy (Dayton, Ohio; at right) down the middle of the field for Capital's second and final tally. McCarthy beat a defender to the ball and finished past the keeper near the penalty kick line.

The Crusaders had chances to tie the affair late on near-misses by senior Al Argyris (Centerville, Ohio) and McCarthy. Heidelberg iced the clock on Capital's end of the field over the final two minutes.

Junior goalkeeper Bob Weisgarber (Columbus, Ohio) made eight saves to help the Crusaders stay in the match.

Argyris and fellow seniors Casey Blankenship (Galloway, Ohio) and Tyler Fountain (Upper Arlington, Ohio) each started and got off at least one shot in their final match as Crusaders.