By Cort Reynolds
The Bluffton High School boys soccer team fell victim to a second-half rally and was defeated 2-1 at Riverdale Saturday, September 30, in a non-league match at Falcon Field.
The Pirates led 1-0 at the half, but gave up two goals after intermission to lose.
Bluffton dropped to 4-7-2 overall with the road defeat.
The Riverdale record improved to 2-10-1 with their second win in the last three outings.
Pirate Theo Andreas netted the lone Bluffton goal for the second straight game to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Will Clark tallied the Falcon goal directly on a free kick from 25 yards out to tie it 1-1 with just over 14 minutes remaining.
Cody Flowers-Barger then re-directed a missed Gage Miller shot into the back of the net to provide the difference.
Bluffton earned three corner kicks to five by Riverdale. The Pirates put three shots on goal, while the Falcons directed seven shots on target.
Keeper Truett Diller made five saves for Bluffton.
The league-leading Pirates (3-0 Northwest Conference) host second-place foe Lincolnview (6-4-2, 2-0-1 NWC) Monday, October 2 in a key conference match.
A win would put the Pirates in the driver’s seat for a ninth straight NWC crown.
