WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Alderson Broaddus' Tanner Kidwell scored in the 73rd minute to snap a 1-1 tie and the West Liberty men's soccer team dropped a 2-1 decision on Sunday in Mountain East Conference action at the West Family Athletic Complex.
    Coach Sean Regan's Hilltoppers (2-4-0, 1-4-0) were battling back almost from the start after the visiting Battlers (2-3-0, 1-3-0) scored less than 90 seconds after the opening kickoff.
    Alderson Broaddus' Andreas Rossak capitalized on a WLU giveaway deep in its own end, slamming a drive into the back of the net from just above the top of the box in the second minute of play.
    It didn't take long for the hosts to reply as Vitor Otsuka threaded a perfect pass through traffic to set up a quality point-blank finish by Liam Toman, knotting the count at 1-1 in the 15th minute.
    Each team created multiple scoring chances but the keepers were equal to the task and the teams entered halftime still deadlocked.
    A 12-second Hilltopper flurry nearly put the hosts on top early in the second half. After Battler keeper Carlos Gallardo saved a Joseph Fonagy shot, West Liberty's Danilo Tavares  banged the rebound off the crossbar and an AB defender blocked a third shot by Braulio Vilchis and WLU came away empty-handed.
    Kidwell's game-winner in the 73rd minute was a close range finish from near the penalty spot off a good feed from Julian Trapp.
    Gallardo preserved the win with a quality save off a header from Fonagy in the 88th minute, his sixth save of the game. West Liberty keeper Noah Underwood had three saves on the afternoon.
    The Hilltoppers will be back on action on Saturday when they host West Virginia Wesleyan in a 3:30 p.m. match at the West Family Athletic Complex.
  Alderson Broaddus                           1  1 – 2
West Liberty                                       1  0 – 1      AB: Andreas Rossak (unassisted), 1:29
     WLU: Liam Toman (Vitor Otsuka), 14:14      AB: Tanner Kidwell (Julian Trapp), 72:42      Shots: Alderson Broaddus 9, West Liberty 12
     Saves: Alderson Broaddus 6 (Carlos Gallardo 6), West Liberty 3 (Noah Underwood 3)
     Corners: Alderson Broaddus 3, West Liberty 3
A: 110