Box Score ALLENTOWN, PA – The Muhlenberg men's soccer team scored twice in the first half and held off a second-half push by visiting Johns Hopkins as the Mules topped the Blue Jays, 3-1, at Jeff Morris '82 Field Saturday afternoon.
 
The Mules didn't need much time – just 96 seconds to be exact – to grab an early lead as they capitalized on a set piece to break the ice.  Lorenzo Vargas-Clarke sent a free kick towards the top of the goal from distance and Johns Hopkins goalkeeper John Ghanem couldn't quite grab it while being challenged in the air as the Mules grabbed the early advantage.
 
The one-goal lead held into the 37^th minute, when Muhlenberg doubled its lead off a corner.  Paul Hartman's offering into the middle of the box was flicked ahead by Sam Roberts and deflected off Ethan Buttner into the corner of the goal to make it 2-0 less than nine minutes before the break.  The Mules would outshoot the Blue Jays 7-5 in the first half and Ghanem made three saves to keep it a two-goal game.

Johns Hopkins (10-4-2, 6-1-1 Centennial) cut the deficit in half in the 56^th minute when the Blue Jays drew a penalty kick off a hand ball in the box.  Sophomore Connor Wilkes froze Muhlenberg goalie Nico Famularo with his offering to the lower right of the goal to pull the Jays within 2-1.
 
The Blue Jays would press for an equalizer, but Famularo was equal to a one-on-one chance from Rishi Pathak in the 62^nd minute and then stopped Rohan Aggarwal's chip attempt from the side in the 66^th minute to maintain the lead.
 
Muhlenberg (6-6-3, 4-2-2 CC) would capitalize on a giveaway in the back by the Blue Jays to extend its lead to 3-1. Playing it short off a goal kick, the Blue Jays lost possession in the box and Jake Marks fed a wide open Saleem Diakite at eight yards and he slipped the Mules' third goal of the game into an open corner in the 71^st minute.
 
Johns Hopkins would fire off six shots in the final 19 minutes, but couldn't solve Famularo again as the Mules picked up a crucial victory in league play.

Despite the loss, Johns Hopkins remains alone in first place in the Centennial Conference standings with one game remaining in the regular season.  A win or a tie against Ursinus at home on Friday, October 30 will land the Blue Jays the top seed in the upcoming Centennial Conference Tournament.
 
With the win, the Mules have clinched a spot in the Centennial Tournament and can finish anywhere from second to sixth in the final standings (the top six teams qualify for the tournament).  The top two teams in the final standings earn a bye into the tournament semifinals, while seeded three through six will play an opening round game.