If things had been just a little bit different, and the same people scored the goals, last night’s 2-1 men’s soccer win by Muhlenberg against Franklin & Marshall could have gone the other way.

Both of the Mule goal-scorers grew up not far from F&M. Senior Josh Luginbuhl, who scored the first goal, hails from Denver, Pa., about 20 minutes from the F&M campus. Junior Danny Way, who netted what proved to be the winning goal, is from right in Lancaster.

Way (right) never considered attending F&M because he felt it was too close, but for Luginbuhl (below), his final choice was between Muhlenberg and F&M.

The two schools have plenty in common when it comes to men’s soccer. Both are top-notch programs from one of the most competitive Division III leagues. Both regularly appear in the regional rankings and are no strangers to the national top 25. Both are trying to break the Johns Hopkins-Swarthmore hold on the title that has existed for the last five years.

F&M lost to Hopkins in the CC final in 2006 and was the top seed for the CC playoffs in 2007. Muhlenberg was the top seed in 2009 and lost to Swarthmore in the championship game last year.

Johns Hopkins and Swarthmore entered yesterday’s action in the top two spots in the CC, but both suffered unexpected losses, tightening up the race. With three games remaining, one point separates the top four teams. Johns Hopkins is in first with a 4-1-1 record (13 points), while Swarthmore, Muhlenberg and Dickinson are all 4-2 (12 points).

This is the fifth time in the last seven years that the top seed for the CC playoffs will have at least two blemishes on its record. Anything can happen, and the difference between triumph and heartbreak can be very slim – it could even come down to what college someone chose to attend.

“For the last four years, and especially tonight, I’m very happy I chose Muhlenberg,” said Luginbuhl after the game.

photos by Lisa Youngentob