DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Maloney scored twice in the first half of play to lead the fourth-ranked Embry-Riddle men's soccer team to a 3-2 victory over No. 13 Bethel (Tenn.), Friday at the Embry-Riddle Soccer Stadium. The Eagles improved to 2-0 on the year, while the Wildcats suffered their first loss of 2010 and now stand at 2-1-1.

The Top-20 matchup promised to be an exciting one and there was plenty of action for the fans in attendance with both teams combining for 40 shots. The game was also very physical, with the referee calling 36 fouls and issuing five yellow cards.

The physical play was in evidence from the first whistle as both sides tried establish possession. Bethel had the first opportunity to take the lead in the first half when, at the 10:24 mark, the Eagles were whistled for a foul inside the 18-yard box. Armando Orozco took the resulting penalty kick, but ERAU goalkeeper Kile Kennedy was up to the challenge and pushed Orozco's attempt over the crossbar to keep the Wildcats off the board.

Buoyed by Kennedy's heroics, the Eagles converted the defensive effort into offense. Erik Norburg took the ball down the left side and his square pass found Michael Donald. Donald lifted a pass to Ryan Maloney who had made a diagonal run to get in behind the defense. Maloney took the ball off his chest and volleyed it past Bethel goalkeeper Chaz Dachenhaus to put the Eagles up 1-0.

In the 24th minute, Donald ran down a ball played out of the Eagles' defensive half. His persistence forced Dachenchaus to come off his line in an attempt to shut down the attack. Donald dribbled around the Wildcats' keeper, but his shot attempt was saved on the line by a Bethel defender. The miss was corralled by Sam Litchfield whose attempt was also stopped, but Ryan Woods was on hand to collect the rebound and the senior captain buried his second goal of the year to increase the Eagle advantage to 2-0.

With just under three minutes remaining in the half, Justin Haskell  completed a pass to Mario Vila Boa who made it a one-goal game with his third goal of the season.

Less than two minutes later, the Eagles won a free kick on the right side of the field, about 10 yards outside the box. Woods sent a low, driven ball into the box and Maloney, playing on the near post, got just enough of a touch to sneak the ball past Dachenhaus to give the Blue and Gold a 3-1 advantage at the half.

Another set piece earned the Wildcats their second goal of the night as Orozco's free kick from 25 yards out got by Kennedy to make the score 3-2 just three minutes into the second half.

As the half wore on, the physical nature of the game began to take its toll, forcing both sides to make multiple substitutions in an effort to get something going. Fresh legs provided a spark for each team, but neither squad was able to finish its chances resulting in a 3-2 final score.

Kennedy and Dachenhaus made key plays for their respective teams finishing with five saves and six saves, respectively.

The Eagles play their first road game of 2010 next Friday when they travel to Mobile, Ala. to face Belhaven in the first of two games in the University of Mobile Tournament.