By: Colton Steiner

BLUFFTON, Ohio - As the Bluffton Beavers Rocket League team season enters their final week of the regular season, they would face off against the Clarke University Pride. An aggressive start from the pride would be the difference as they would knock off the Beavers in a final score of 3-1. With the loss, Bluffton now sits at 1-5 on the season as they have one more game before a possible postseason appearance. 

The Beavers would get started right off the tip as Andrew Phillips (Westfield, IN / Westfield) would score just three seconds in to give Bluffton a 1-0 lead. However, the hot start would fade as the Pride would respond with five unanswered goals to take a 5-1 win after game one. To start game two, the Beavers would score once again on the tipoff after Zach Rhynes (Toledo, Ohio / Start) would find the back of the net with 4:54 left to play. After Clarke would even up the contest thirty seconds later, the two teams would battle until there was 1:35 left to play in regulation where Andrew Phillips would strike a perfect shot from midfield into the goal as Bluffton found themselves up 2-1. Clarke was able sneak in a goal with just under one minute to play to even up the game as the two teams would head into a sudden death overtime in game two. Following one and a half minutes of play in extra time, Clarke was able to score off a ricochet that the Beavers were unable to block as they would nab game two 3-2, taking a 2-0 lead in the match. Wiht their backs against the wall, Bluffton would score off the tipoff for the third game in a row as Zach  Rhynes would score to give the Beavers a 1-0 lead with 4:57 left to play. Bluffton would then extend their lead just over a minute later after Andrew Phillips found the back of the net off an assist from Zach Rhynes, giving the Beavers a 2-0 lead. Leading by two, Phillips would score for a second time in the game with 1:17 left as Bluffton found themselves up 3-0 in game three. The Pride would score in the final twenty seconds, but the Beavers would come away with a 3-1 win in game three to cut the deficit to 2-1. They would carry that momentum into the fourth game after Braxton Fruchey (Lima, Ohio / Homeschooled) would connect with Zach Rhynes in the opening 11 seconds to give Bluffton a 1-0 lead early on. Despite the early goal, Clarke would regain their composure and score three unanswered, as the Beavers would find themselves down two goals. While they were able to get a goal on the board from Andrew Phillips with nine seconds to play to cut the deficit to 3-2, they would run out of time to stage a comeback as the Pride would seal the 3-1 victory. 

Bluffton will put the loss in their rearview mirror as they kick right back into action against the University of Cincinnati "UCRL Bearcats Z" Rocket League team, set for Tuesday, Mar. 24 at 7 p.m. You can tune into all of the Bluffton Esports action on Boxcast, Twitch, and YouTube.

-Beavers-