#3 Longwood Defeats #1 Adelphi 1-0; Claim ASC Tournament Title

FARMVILLE, VA (Nov. 16) - The Longwood University men's soccer team finished its 2008 campaign with a 1-0 win over Adelphi in the championship game of the Atlantic Soccer Conference (ASC) Tournament. The games lone goal came from junior midfielder Martin Vickerton/Derbyshire, England (Kirk Hallam Technical College) in the 69th minute of action. Junior Brian Germain/McLean (Langley) picked up the assist after feeding Vickerton with a nice through ball into the box. The #3 seeded Lancers finish the season 8-8-4 overall and 2-2 in the ASC, while #1 Adelphi finish 12-6 overall and 4-0 in the ASC.

The game got off to a slow start with neither team able to settle into a rhythm. The two teams traded possession several times throughout the first half with Adelphi outshooting the Lancers 5-3. All three of Longwoods first half shots where broken up by the Panther defense who managed to block all of them. Neither goalkeeper was forced to make a save in the first half, as both teams entered the locker room in a 0-0 stalemate.

Adelphi came out in the second half taking an early chance for net in the 49th minute, but had the Lancers defense block the shot. Freshman Kevin Chico/Harrisonburg (Eastern Mennonite) nearly put the Lancers on top in the 66th minute, beating an Adelphi defender for a open shot against the keeper. The play began with a nice give and go play from freshman Zach Mahon/San Antonio, Texas (William Howard Taft), send Chico into open space. Despite his best efforts, Chico was unable to fool the Adelphi keeper who gobbled up the shot.

With momentum on their side, the Lancers were able to take a 1-0 lead just three minutes later on Vickerton's team-leading sixth goal. Germain set up the play, taking on a couple of Adelphi defenders and drawing them to the the left side. With the defenders covering him, Germain slipped the ball to a wide open Vickerton who was standing on the edge of the six-yard line. Vickerton calmly placed the ball into the far-post netting past the Adelphi keeper.

Germain would try and give the Lancers a 2-0 lead in the 71st minute, taking two shots on goal and forcing the Panther keeper to come up with two big saves. Adelphi would try frantically for the equalizer, but would be unable to beat freshman goalkeeper Joel Helmick/Springfield (W.T. Woodson) who had two huge saves for the Lancers.

Adelphi Falls in ASC Title Game, 1-0
Holder made four saves in the loss.
 

Farmville, VA (Nov. 16) - The Adelphi University men's soccer team took on third seed and Atlantic Soccer Conference (ASC) tournament host Longwood in the championship game. The top seeded Panthers out shot the Lancers, 10-8 but could not find the back of the net, falling 1-0. The loss drops Adelphi to 12-6 overall, while Longwood finishes 9-8-3, including their first ASC title.

The game got off to a slow start with neither team able to settle into a rhythm. The two teams traded possession several times throughout the first half with Adelphi outshooting the Lancers 5-3. All three of Longwoods first half shots where broken up by the Panther defense who managed to block all of them. Neither goalkeeper was forced to make a save in the first half, as both teams entered the locker room in a 0-0 stalemate.

Adelphi came out in the second half taking an early chance at net in the 49th minute, but were unsuccessful. Kevin Chico nearly put the Lancers on top in the 66th minute, getting a clear look at goal but Adelphi's Thorne Holder turned the attempt aside.

The Lancers were able to take a 1-0 lead three minutes later on a Martin Vickerton goal. Brian Germain slipped the ball to a Vickerton who was standing on the edge of the six-yard line. Vickerton settled the ball and beat Holder, giving Longwood a 1-0 advantage.

Adelphi pressured the Longwood defense down the stretch but could not get the equalizer, as Lancer goalie Joel Helmick made two big saves to secure the win.
 

Adelphi’s Patrick Figueiredo Named 2008 Atlantic Soccer Conference Player of the Year
Joel Helmick from Longwood Tabs Rookie of the Year; Carlo Acquista honored as Coach of the Year

NEWARK, NJ (Nov. 14) – Adelphi’s senior Patrick Figueiredo has been named 2008 Atlantic Soccer Conference Player of the Year for the second consecutive year; Longwood’s goalkeeper Joel Helmick tabs Rookie of the Year while Adelphi’s Carlo Acquista was honored as Coach of the Year in voting done by the league’s coaches.

Figueiredo, from Campinas, Brazil, repeats as Atlantic Soccer Conference Player of the Year, leading the Panthers collecting 13 goals and 27 points. He was named Atlantic Soccer Player of the Week three times this season.

He is currently ranked eighth in the nation in goals per game (0.81) and 16th in points per game (1.69).

Helmick, from Springfield, Virginia, posted a 5-6-3 overall record, 2-2 in the conference with a 1.54 goals against average for head coach Jon Atkinson. He recorded 63 saves while posting two shutouts.

The freshman came up big for the Lancers in a 2-2 tie with #14 Virginia on October 21. He posted four saves in 110 minutes in front of the net.

Adelphi’s head coach Acquista was honored as Coach of the Year closing out the regular season with an 11-5-0 overall record and a perfect 4-0-0 record in the conference, claiming the top seed in the Atlantic Soccer Conference tournament.

First Team
F, Eddie Romero, Sr., NJIT,
F, Rotmi Iziduh, Jr., Howard,
F, John Koustsounadis, So., Adelphi
MF, George Sangira, Sr., Houston Baptist
MF, Kemalie Preston, Sr., Adelphi
MF, Martin Vickerton, Jr., Longwood
MF, Alex Kouznetsov, So., Adelphi
D, Kevin Gluchowski, Jr., Adelphi
D, Devon Newton, Jr., NJIT
D, Alex Brito, Jr., NJIT
GK, Chris Dodd, So., Houston Baptist

Second Team
F, Ruzhdi Halili, Sr., Houston Baptist
F, Erik Magnusson, Jr., NJIT
MF, Val Charalambous, Jr., Adelphi
MF, Kayo Emojong, Sr., NJIT
MF, Gustav Warfving, Jr., NJIT
D, Joelle Daniel, Jr., Houston Baptist
D, Dao Vu, Sr., Houston Baptist
D, Mark Hoffman, Sr., Adelphi
D, Mauricio Mora, Fr., Adelphi
GK, Ryan Sutherland, Sr., NJIT
GK Thorne Holder, So. Adelphi

Player of the Year: Patrick Figueiredo, Adelphi
Rookie of the Year: Joel Helmick, Longwood
Coach of the Year: Carlo Acquista, Adelphi

Top-Seeded Adelphi Knocks Highlanders from the Playoffs
Atlantic Soccer Conference Tournament semifinal


FARMVILLE, VA (Nov. 14)—Atlantic Soccer Conference regular season champion Adelphi scored three times in the last 30 minutes for a 3-0 win over fourth-seeded NJIT, ending the Highlanders 2008 season in the semifinal round of the ASC postseason tournament hosted by Longwood University Friday afternoon.

The victorious Panthers, who are 12-5 overall, having won 12 of their last 13 matches, got a pair of goals from two-time ASC Player of the Year Patrick Figueiredo and another goal from John Koutsounadis in the win over NJIT.

Sophomore goalkeeper Thorne Holder, who began the season as Adelphi’s backup, but whose insertion into the lineup as the starter coincided with his team’s remarkable run, made seven shots to post his sixth shutout of the season. It was his second shutout of the Highlanders following a 2-0 win at home against NJIT on October 18.

Figueiredo collected his 14th and 15th goals of the season in advancing his team to Sunday’s ASC championship game against host Longwood. The Lancers tied Houston Baptist, 1-1, in double overtime but moved on to the final with a 4-2 win on penalty kicks against Houston Baptist.

The goal for Koutsounadis was his third of the season.

NJIT goalkeeper Ryan Sutherland made three saves in his final college game for the Highlanders.

The Highlanders, who were 3-1-1 since that loss at Adelphi on October 18, outshot the Panthers, 17-13 overall and 7-6 in shots on goal.

Osvaldo Perez and senior captain Kevin Blanco each put two shots on goal for the Highlanders. Perez, a junior, had five total shots and another senior playing his final game, NJIT’s season-leading scorer Eddie Romero took three total shots.

In a rough physical game that saw Adelphi whistled for 16 fouls and referee Mike Andrews issue five cautions—three to NJIT and two to Adelphi—the game stayed scoreless until the 61st minute when a penalty kick was awarded and then turned into a goal by Figueiredo at 60:56.

Koutsounadis made it 2-0 for the Panthers on a breakaway at 64:47 and then Figueiredo iced the win by converting a turnover into his second goal of the day with just over two minutes remaining.

In addition to Sutherland, Romero and Blanco, starters Quaison Carter and Kayo Emojong, along with subs Dylan Broadley and Rafael Barrera all played their final games for NJIT.

The Highlanders finished their fifth season of Division I competition with a 4-14-2 record that included the 3-2-1 finish that began with a come-from-behind 2-1 upset of visiting Rutgers on October 22.
 

Huskies Fall in Shootout at ASC Tournament
Men finish the season with a 10-6-1 record

Farmville, VA (Nov. 14) – On Friday afternoon, the HBU men’s soccer team lost a rematch with Atlantic Soccer Conference rival Longwood University at the ASC Tournament in a shootout after remaining deadlocked at 1-1 throughout two overtime periods.

Longwood struck first, netting a goal during the sixth minute of the contest for the early lead. The score remained at 1-0 through halftime and in to the second period. The Huskies tied things up with an own goal during the 79th minute. The score remained tied at 1-1 and went in to overtime.

HBU had two scoring opportunities during the first overtime as the Lancers’ goalie made a pair of saves while the Huskies’ Chris Dodd stopped one shot to preserve the tie. Another opportunity for the Huskies saw Jay Ambrosy break past two defenders before getting pulled down and HBU getting a penalty shot awarded. George Sangira's shot was stopped by the Longwood goalie to keep it tied up. In the second period, neither team managed a shot on goal. With the game moving to a shootout, Andrew Collins first shot was stopped by the Longwood keeper followed by the Lancers going up 1-0 in the shootout. Ruzhdi Halili connected on his kick but Longwood kept up by making theirs. Joelle Daniel netted his shot as well but through three rounds HBU was down 3-2. George Sangira’s shot was stopped in the fourth round but the Lancers scored on their fourth to put it away.

Longwood held an advantage in shots with 16 compared to the Huskies’ 11. The Lancers also attempted 11 corner kicks while HBU managed just three.

Chris Dodd recorded six saves in the game while allowing just the one goal. The Huskies finish the season with a 10-6-1 record.

NJIT Wins Opening Playoff Game
Highlanders defeat Howard, 3-1

FARMVILLE, VA (Nov. 12) —The NJIT men’s soccer team won a postseason soccer game for the first time since the school reclassified to NCAA Division I, defeating Howard, 3-1, Wednesday in the first round of the Atlantic Soccer Conference tournament hosted by Longwood.

NJIT, which experienced a great deal of postseason success in past years at the NAIA and NCAA Division III levels, began playing a Division I schedule in 2004 and became eligible for Division I postseason play in 2005.

The Highlanders made their first postseason appearance at the new level a year ago, when they were defeated, 1-0, by eventual 2007 ASC tournament champ Florida Atlantic.

This year, NJIT, the fourth seed in the five-team 2008 ASC tournament, gained its first Division I postseason win Wednesday against Howard.

Coincidentally, Howard was a big part of the Highlanders’ postseason past, defeating Newark College of Engineering, 3-2, in 1961 NAIA national championship game. A year earlier, NCE was co-national champion of the NAIA after tying Elizabethtown, 2-2, in four overtimes in the 1960 NAIA national title game.

On Wednesday, the Highlanders spotted Howard a 1-0 lead on a goal in the 11th minute, but pulled even before halftime on the team-leading fifth goal of the season for senior Eddie Romero in the 38th minute. Romero was assisted by Erik Magnusson, who leads NJIT with five assists and 11 points.

The Highlanders scored twice in the second half, going ahead on a Howard own goal at 52:50 and then icing the win on a goal by Osvaldo Perez with just under 10 minutes still to play.

NJIT goalkeeper Ryan Sutherland made five saves en route to the win, while Adisa Bekoe stopped six shots for Howard.

The overall shots were decidedly in NJIT’s favor, 22-7, and the corner kick count was even more lopsided—11-0 for the Highlanders.

The Highlanders controlled the ball from the outset, but Howard, which packed 10 men in the defensive half and left one available to counterattack, did just that in scoring the game’s first goal.

Lemuel Lyons got the Bison on the scoreboard at 10:12, taking a pass from across the box by Frederick Burgess and tucking it past Sutherland for a 1-0 Howard lead.

The Highlanders, who kept the ball in Howard’s end most of the day, got started with a long pass from Dylan Broadley to Magnusson, who drew the defense to him at the near post and then sent the ball along to Romero, who tapped it into the goal at the far post, making it 1-1 at 37:37.

Romero has scored four times in the last five games.

The game-winning goal for NJIT was a Howard own goal, as one of the Bison defenders headed the ball into his own net in the 53rd minute.

“Even though it was own goal, (NJIT’s) Pat Amato was right there to knock the ball in if the defender hadn’t headed it in himself,” said NJIT coach Pedro Lopes. “We were putting on a lot of pressure at that point and the goal was a result of the pressure.”

The NJIT insurance goal was the best of the day, according to Lopes. Perez gained control of the ball about 40 yards out and using a teammate as a decoy, carried the ball in, beating two defenders along the way and then firing a shot that beat Bekoe and then caromed off the post and into the goal at 80:09.

“Osvaldo had a very good game today,” Lopes said. “He made a big difference for us.”

Lopes, who has led his team to a 3-1-1 record over its last five matches, was pleased with Wednesday’s outcome. “It was a workmanlike effort for us,” he said. “We had a lot of the play; their keeper made three or four very good saves; and it was kind of typical of us in that we missed some early chances, but we kept at it and got a deserved win.”

The Highlanders will take on 2008 ASC regular season champion and top-seeded Adelphi in one of Friday’s tournament semifinal matches. The match is scheduled to begin at noon.

Adelphi, a 2-0 winner over NJIT last month at home on Long Island, was ASC regular season and tournament champion in 2006.

Houston Baptist and host Longwood are scheduled to meet in Friday’s other semifinal,

(goal descriptions courtesy of Longwood Athletics Media Relations)
 

Atlantic Soccer Conference
2008 All-Academic Team

November 4, 2008

Awarded to the varsity athlete who is a sophomore or above in academic standing at an institution; athlete must be in their second year at the institution, if a transfer student; have a 3.2 cumulative GPA or higher and started more than 50% of the time or was a significant contributor.

Patrick Figueiredo, Adelphi, Sr., Forward, Biology, 3.737
Stephen Fregosi, Adelphi, Sr., Middle, Business Management, 3.837
Mark Hoffman, Adelphi, Sr., Defender, Sports Management, 3.430
Kemalie Preston, Adelphi, Sr., Middle, Sports Management, 3.230

Jay Ambrosy, Houston Baptist, Sr, Middle, General Studies and Spanish, 3.207

Guilherme Fonseca, Howard, Sr., Middle, Engineering, 3.20
Rotimi Iziduh, Howard, Jr., Forward, Mathematics, 3.86
William Hubbard, Howard, So., Forward, Journalism, 4.00
Matt Marshall, Howard, So., Defender, Psychology, 3.27

Rafael Barrera, NJIT, Sr., Defender, Business, 3.324
Kevin Blanco, NJIT, Sr., Midfielder, Business, 3.258
Eric Magnusson, NJIT, Jr., Midfielder, Business, 3.733
Alex Brito, NJIT, Jr., Defender, Biology, 3.295
Gustav Warfving, Jr., Midfielder, Business, 3.259

Adelphi Sweeps Atlantic Soccer Conference Awards

NEWARK, NJ (Nov. 1) -- Adelphi senior Kemalie Preston and sophomore goalkeeper Thorne Holder have been named Player/Goalkeeper of the Week the league announced today.

Preston picks up his first honor of the season as Holder tabs his sixth honor.

Preston, a native of Portomore, Jamaica, produced a goal and an assist last week for the Panthers in a 2-1 win over conference opponent Longwood.

Preston received the ball in the box and slipped the ball past Lancer’s goalkeeper for the first goal of the match.  He later assisted on the game-winning goal.

Others nominated: Ruzhdi Halili (Houston Baptist)

Holder, a native of Trinidad & Tobago, picks up his sixth honor of the season. 

In 90 minutes of action in front of the net, Holder recorded one save in a 2-1 victory over Longwood.

Holder improves his overall record to 10-1-0 with five shutouts.

Others nominated: Chris Dodd (Houston Baptist)

NJIT’s Romero, Sutherland and Granizo Sweep Atlantic Soccer Conference Weekly Awards

NEWARK, NJ (Oct. 27) -- NJIT’s Eddie Romero (Player), Ryan Sutherland (Goalkeeper) and Luis Granizo (Rookie) have swept the Atlantic Soccer Conference weekly awards the conference announced today.

This is the first honor for each of the Highlanders.

In a 2-0 week for the Highlanders, Romero posted a goal in each of NJIT’s two victories.

Romero knocked home the game-winner for the Highlanders in a 2-1 win over Rutgers Wednesday.  The goal was Romero’s 10th career goal and second of the season.

On Saturday, NJIT defeated conference opponent Howard 4-0, where Romero collected his second goal of the week.  Romero was brought down inside the box and was awarded a penalty kick where he blasted the ball just underneath the crossbar, giving the Highlanders a 2-0 lead.

Others nominated: John Koutsounadis (Adelphi), George Sangira (Houston Baptist)

Sutherland, NJIT’s fifth-year senior goalkeeper, posted a 2-0 record this past week.

Sutherland made seven big saves for the Highlanders in a 2-1 victory over Rutgers.

On Saturday, against conference opponent Howard, Sutherland picked up his first shutout of 2008 and the second of his career.  His first shutout came in NJIT’s first-ever Division I win, a 2-0 victory over Manhattan on September 10, 2005.

Others nominated: Thorne Holder (Adelphi), Joel Helmich (Longwood)

Granizo, from Paterson, NJ, picked up one assist last week coming against Rutgers.  Granizo sent a header into the left side of the box where his teammate was positioned, sending the ball past Rutgers goalkeeper’s hands.

Others nominated: Meteus Lessa (Houston Baptist)

Adelphi’s Val Charalambous and Thorne Holder Honored as Player and Goalkeeper of the Week;
Houston Baptist’s Michael Saryee Tabs Rookie of the Week

 NEWARK, NJ (Oct. 20) -- Adelphi’s junior Val Charalambous and sophomore Thorne Holder have been named Player and Goalkeeper of the Week while Houston Baptist’s Michael Saryee tabs Rookie of the Week the Atlantic Soccer Conference announced today.

Charalambous, a native of Larnaka, Cyprus, posted two assists last week as the Panthers extended its winning streak to nine games. 

On the first assist recorded by Charalambous last week, he sent the ball into Columbia’s box where teammate Kris Nosworthy collected the ball and beat Columbia’s goalkeeper.

Against NJIT, Charalambous sent a cross across the box to Stephen Fregosi, as he added the second tally of the game for the Panthers.

Others nominated: Brian Germain (Longwood)

Holder, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, picks up his fifth honor of the season.

He improved his overall record to a perfect 9-0 with back-to-back wins over Columbia and conference opponent NJIT.

With both wins, the Panthers extend its winning streak to nine games.  Holder has posted a shut out in six of his first nine matches in net as has yet to lose a start.

Saryee, from Sugarland, TX, picks up his first Atlantic Soccer Conference award of the season.

He got the Huskies on the board in a 2-1 win against William Carey on Saturday afternoon.  The goal came during the 35th minute putting Houston Baptist ahead 1-0.  Saryee’s goal was his second of the season. 

Adelphi’s Figueiredo and Holder Named Player/Goalkeeper of the Week;
Howard’s Brian Cunningham Tabs Rookie of the Week

NEWARK, NJ (Oct. 14) -- Adelphi’s Patrick Figueiredo and Thorne Holder have been named Player/Goalkeeper of the week for the second consecutive week while Howard’s Brian Cunningham tabs Rookie of the Week the Atlantic Soccer Conference announced today.

Figueiredo, a senior from Campinas, Brazil, picks up his third honor of the season leading the Panthers to their seventh straight win.  Figueiredo combined for three goals last week, with victories over Princeton (2-1) and ASC foe Houston Baptist (2-0).

Figueiredo scored two goals in the victory over Princeton and one against Houston Baptist.  He has scored at least one goal in the last six out of seven contests for Adelphi.  His totals for the week were: 3 goals, 6 points. 

Others nominated: Rodino Wright (Howard), Erik Magnusson (NJIT), Ruzhdi Halili (Houston Baptist)

Holder, a native of Trinidad & Tobago, picks up his fourth honor as Goalkeeper of the Week.  Holder posted two wins last week improving his record to a perfect 7-0 and recorded his fourth shutout of the year against conference foe Houston Baptist on Friday night.

Holder combined for eight saves in 182:59 minutes and has posted a shutout in four of his first seven games in net.

Others nominated: Adisa Bekoe (Howard), Ryan Sutherland (NJIT)

Cunningham, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, tabs his first Atlantic Soccer Conference award this season recording his second goal of the year, as he helped the Bison pick up its first win of the season in a 3-1 victory over VMI Wednesday afternoon.

Cunningham ranks second on the team in total goals (2).

Others nominated: Chico Lugo (NJIT), Michael Saryee (Houston Baptist)

Dodd and Saryee Lead Huskies to First ASC Win
Saryee scores first goal and Dodd stops nine shots in win

Newark, NJ (Oct. 12) – The HBU men’s soccer team picked up its first ever Atlantic Soccer Conference win on Sunday afternoon with a 1-0 win on the road over New Jersey Institute of Technology.

The first half saw the Highlanders getting a number of offensive chances but Husky goalkeeper Chris Dodd kept the score knotted at 0-0, making eight saves. The game remained scoreless until the 67th minute when sophomore Michael Saryee scored his first goal of the season with an assist from freshman Adam Jakle. The assist was Jakle’s second of the year.

NJIT held a 19-10 advantage in shots in the game while corner kicks were even at seven for both teams.

Dodd came up big in goal for HBU, making a season-high nine saves to preserve the shutout victory. It was his fourth shutout of the season. His record now stands at 4-4-0. HBU is now 6-4-0 on the year and 1-1-0 in ASC play.

The Huskies return home for their next seven games, beginning on Thursday, October 16 at 3:00 pm as they host the University of Texas-Permian Basin at Sorrels Field.

Houston Baptist Edges Highlanders, 1-0
Goal in 67th minute is the difference

NEWARK, NJ (Oct. 12)—Michael Saryee’s goal in the 67th minute propelled visiting Houston Baptist to a 1-0 Atlantic Soccer Conference victory over NJIT in men’s soccer Sunday afternoon on Lubetkin Field.
Houston Baptist is 1-1 in its first year as a member of the ASC, having lost its conference debut, 2-0, Friday at Adelphi. The Highlanders are 0-2 in conference play after Sunday’s defeat and a loss at Longwood on October 4.

Saryee’s decisive tally was a well-taken shot from about 10 yards out after receiving a crossing pass from the right wing by Adam Jakle. Taking the feed from Jakle, Saryee fired across the goal mouth and into the lower left corner at 66:38. It was his first goal of the season.

Houston Baptist goalkeeper Chris Dodd made a personal season-high nine saves in his fourth shutout of 2008. NJIT senior Ryan Sutherland, making his fourth start of the season, recorded four saves.

Despite the final score, defense did not rule the day. The teams combined for 29 shots, including 14 on goal. NJIT had a 19-10 advantage in overall shots and a 9-5 lead in shots on goal. The corner kicks were even at seven apiece.

The first half belonged to the Highlanders, but they had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard. The total shots for the half were 14-3 for NJIT, which had an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal in the 45 minutes.

NJIT had seven quality first-half chances before Houston Baptist mounted its own threat in the 44th minute. Among the Highlander threats in the first half were: a free kick from 25 yards by Patrick O’Driscoll that was tipped over the top of the goal by Dodd in the 19th minute; a shot wide left two minutes later in tight space by Gustav Warfving; a hard shot right at Dodd in the 25th minute by Devon Newton; two quick saves by Dodd in the 27th minute, first on a shot by Eddie Romero and then on the rebound by Warfving; a shot over the top from in front of the goal by Kayo Emojong; and a hard shot from Romero in the 42nd minute, again, right at Dodd.

Houston Baptist’s Lorne Cameron headed the ball over the top off of a free kick with less than a minute left in the first half.

NJIT did not dominate the second half, but the Highlanders had perhaps their best chance of the day in the 50th minute, when Erik Magnusson beat Dodd, only to have the try hit the left goal post.

Houston Baptist gradually gained more of the play and NJIT’s Sutherland made two fine saves on one sequence in the 53rd minute. George Sangira got loose on a counterattacking breakaway and Sutherland came far off his line to cut off the angle and make the sliding save. A rebound then came loose to Mateus Lessa, but Sutherland made another stop to keep the game scoreless.

The Huskies and Saryee had another dangerous opportunity in the 57th minute with a hard shot that deflected off the body of a Highlander defender and over the top of the goal for a corner kick.

Both teams pressed the attack after Saryee’s goal and the Highlanders’ Romero put the ball in the net off of a free kick feed from out of the midfield, but it was waved off due to offsides in the 70th minute.

NJIT had two more chances in the final 10 minutes, but one of the shots was right at Dodd and the other was a header over the top of the goal.

“It was another game where we played well enough to create scoring opportunities,” said NJIT coach Pedro Lopes. “But we continue to have a difficult time putting the ball in the net. We’re knocking on the door, someone opens it a little bit, but they’re not letting us in.”

The Highlanders will be back at home on Lubetkin Field when they host Army in a 7 pm game Tuesday night.
 

Panthers Pick Up First Conference Win
Adelphi soccer wins their seventh straight

Garden City, NY (Oct. 10) - The Panthers played host to conference rivals, Houston Baptist tonight at Competition Field on a cool, calm evening. The Panthers got out to an early 1-0 in the first half on a corner kick and then further extended the lead to two in the second half. They wouldn't look back as they picked up their first conference win and seventh straight game to advance their record to 7-4, 1-0 while Houston Baptist falls to 5-4, 0-1.

Within the first five minutes of the first half, Adelphi capitalized on an early corner taken by junior Val Charalambous and headed in by senior Kemale Preston for the early lead. A few minutes later, a Preston header from senior Patrick Figueiredo beat Husky keeper Chris Dodd in what would have been a two goal lead, but was called offsides to hold the game at 1-0. Heading into the second half, the Panthers held a one goal lead while their defense did not allow a single Husky shot on goal.

The Huskies, in the 53rd minute, had a close opportunity to score when George Sangira got behind the Panther defense and sailed the ball toward the net but was deflected off of the right post. Adelphi came back with a scoring opportunity of their own just three minutes later when Figueiredo dribbled down the left side of the field to take a shot that went just wide of the goal. Another opportunity would arise again for the Panthers as junior Alexander Kouznetsov sent a pass up the middle to a waiting Figueiredo who used his speed to cut up the middle and, this time, find the back of the net to put his team up 2-0 with less than eleven minutes left. The Huskies would not close the gap as they faced their first conference loss.

Panther goalie Thorne Holder recorded the shutout while Dodd tallied two saves.

The Panthers return to action on October 14 when they travel to west to face Columbia University in a non-conference matchup. The game is slated for a 7 pm start.

Huskies Stumble in Conference Opener at Adelphi

Garden City, NY (Oct. 10) – In the first Atlantic Soccer Conference game in HBU men’s soccer history, the Huskies fell at Adelphi University by a score of 2-0.

The Panthers wasted little time getting on the board as they took a 1-0 lead with a goal in the fifth minute. The score remained 1-0 for most of the game until the 79:27 mark when AU got their second goal and put the game out of reach.

HBU managed just a single shot and finished without a shot on goal. The Husky defense held Adelphi to just four shots on goal and seven total. Goalkeeper Chris Dodd suffered the loss for HBU, making two saves. He is now 3-4 on the year.

The Huskies fall to 5-4-0 overall and 0-1-0 in ASC play while Adephi moves to 7-4-0, 1-0-0.

HBU will travel to Newark, N.J. for another ASC matchup at New Jersey Institute of Technology on Sunday at 12:00 pm.
 

Bison Drop Keydets 3-1

WASHINGTON, DC (Oct. 8) - Lemuel Lyons, Rodino Wright and Brian Cunningham each picked up goals as the Howard men's soccer team dropped VMI 3-1 in a matchup Wednesday evening at Greene Stadium. The win gave the Bison its first victory of the season.

"I think everyone finally started executing tonight," said head coach Michael Lawrence. "I thought that we played well tonight and it shows with three goals scored, which resulted in a win."

With the win, HU improves to 1-11-1, while the Keydets drop to 0-9-0 on the year.

Goalkeeper Adisa Bekoe had a strong performance in net, playing all 90 minutes while making four saves in nine chances.

Wright was the Bison's offensive leader with one goal and one assist. Rotimi Iziduh added four shots and three on net. Guilherme Fonseca chipped in three shots and an assist.

Howard returns home on Oct. 14 with a match up against Navy at 7pm.
 

Men's Soccer Tops Princeton in Overtime, 2-1
Patrick Figueiredo scored both Adelphi goals in the win.


Garden City, NY (Oct. 8) - The Adelphi University soccer team played host to Princeton University on October 8 at the Outdoor Sports Complex. The Panthers took an early 1-0 lead, only to see the Tigers knot the game at two in the second half before prevailing, 2-1 in overtime. The win raises Adelphi's overall record to 6-4, while Princeton to 2-7-1.

Adelphi struck first when Kemalie Preston moved through the Princeton defense and slotted a ball to a waiting Patrick Figueiredo who sent it past Princeton goalie Sean Lynch and into the back of the Tiger net. Figueiredo's strike gave Adelphi a 1-0 lead, which they carried into halftime.

Princeton answered back in the second half when Antoine Hoppenot took control of a Matt Callahan feed 20 yards outside the box and struck a ball that beat Adelphi's Thorne Holder, knotting the game at one. The Tigers and Adelphi had several chances down the stretch but neither team could convert, forcing overtime.

Just 2:59 into the overtime period Adelphi was pressuring the Princeton defense when a Panther player was dragged down in the box, earning a penalty kick. Figueiredo netted the kick, securing a 2-1 win for the Panthers.

Holder made eight saves in the win, while Lynch picked up one for Princeton, who out shot Adelphi 18-10.

The Panthers return to action on Friday, October 10 when they play host to Atlantic Soccer Conference opponent Houston Baptist.

Saint Joseph’s Edges Highlanders, 2-1
NJIT rookie Chico Lugo scores his first goal

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 7)—Saint Joseph’s scored the game’s first two goals—one in each half—and held on after a goal by NJIT’s Chico Lugo in the last nine minutes for a 2-1 win in non-conference men’s soccer Tuesday night at Finnesey Field on the Saint Joe’s campus.

Nick Pozzessere assisted on the first goal and scored the second for the Hawks, who pushed their record to 3-2-1. Saint Joe’s, which shut out Rider, 2-0, on October 4, has won its last two after losing the preceding two contests.

Colin Baker opened the scoring at 27:21, converting a shot from the top of the box off of a corner kick by Pozzessere.

The senior Pozzessere made it 2-0 for the home team on a header in the 63rd minute. He was assisted by Tom Smart and Giacomo Dilisi. DiLisi sent a throw-in to Smart, who sent a pass in to set up Pozzessere’s successful header.

NJIT, which had a narrow 16-15 advantage in overall shots, but a 10-7 edge in shots on goal, finally got on the board at 81:03 when Lugo tallied his first college goal. He was assisted by team scoring leader Erik Magnusson, who now has two goals and four assists for eight points.

Saint Joe’s senior goalkeeper Bryan Benedict, who has played every minute in the Hawks goal this season, made nine saves. Senior Ryan Sutherland, who made his third start of the season for the Highlanders, finished with four saves.

“It was an example of how our season has gone,” said NJIT coach Pedro Lopes, who has repeatedly seen his team play even or better than its foe for long stretches and sometimes whole games, only to come away frustrated by the result.

“We had chance, after chance, after chance and couldn’t score. On the other end, we played well but we left our man open for a good shot two times and (Saint Joseph’s) scored each time. This game was definitely one to put in the ‘should have won’ column.”

Lopes singled out junior Gustav Warfving for praise. “Gustav played a great game,” said the coach. “He worked hard all night and put three good shots on goal, but the keeper made some nice saves.”

After Lugo had pulled the Highlanders to within a goal of the lead, they continued to challenge the Hawks and came excruciatingly close when Tom Dores set up Magnusson, who headed the ball inches wide of the post in the final three minutes.

Next up for the Highlanders is their first home Atlantic Soccer Conference match, when they host new conference member Houston Baptist on Sunday at 1 pm on Lubetkin Field.

Longwood Defeats Navy, 2-0

ANNAPOLIS, MD (Oct. 7) - The Longwood University men’s soccer team (6-4-1) defeated Navy (4-7-1) in a road match on Tuesday evening by the score of 2-0. The Lancers received their insurance goal from junior Chenor Diallo/Alexandria (Mount Vernon) in the 79th minute of action. Longwood returns to action on Tuesday, October 14, taking on North Florida for the teams second consecutive road match. The game is set to begin at 4 p.m.
   
The game turned out to be a battle of wills with both teams keeping things statistically even, with Navy edging out Longwood 11-7 in shots. Longwood took control of the game in the opening 15 minutes, with junior Brian Germain/McLean (Langley) scoring in the fifth minute. Germains goal came off a pass from freshman Shane Johnson/Ashburn (Broad Run), which Germain was able to slip into the left corner of the goal.
   
Following the Germain goal, Navy began playing direct soccer, lifting balls over the top, forcing the Longwood defense to be on high alert. The Lancers’ defense was unfazed by the change of style, managing to limit Navy to four first half shots.
   
The second half of action was very similar to the first, with the Lancers taking control out of the gates, before Navy began playing direct. However, Navy’s direct style would not keep the Lancers from getting their second goal of the game from Diallo 11 minutes before the end of the game. The Diallo goal came after the 5-7, forward beat the Navy defense down the left side of the field and fired a shot on goal. The Navy keeper got his hand on the ball, but the shot from Diallo was too hot for him to handle, finding its way into net.
   
Freshman Joel Helmick/Springfield (W.T. Woodson) was the leader on defense once again for the Lancers, coming up with three saves, while recording his second shutout of the season.
   
“Our defense played very well,” head coach Jon Atkinson said. “Joel controlled the defense very well. The defense and the men in front of them all worked their tails off. With Navy playing direct things got a little scary, with the ball pinging around in the box, but our defense came up with some good headers. Overall it was a good team effort and we got the result.”  

Adelphi’s Patrick Figueiredo and Thorne Holder Sweep Atlantic Soccer Conference Weekly Awards

NEWARK, NJ (Oct. 6) -- Adelphi’s Patrick Figueiredo has been named Player of the Week while teammate Thorne Holder was honored as Goalkeeper of the Week, the Atlantic Soccer Conference announced.

Figueiredo, a native from Campinas, Brazil, combined for four goals last week as the Panthers, who extended their winning streak to five with a win over Manhattan (3-0) and LaSalle (2-0). 

Figueiredo scored all three goals in the victory over Manhattan and one against La Salle. 

He has scored at least one goal in the last four out of five contests for Adelphi.

His totals for the week were: 4 goals, 8 points.

Others nominated: Lemuel Lyons (Howard), Erik Magnusson (NJIT), Ruzhdi Halili (Houston Baptist), Harvey Headley (Longwood). 

Holder, the sophomore goalkeeper from Trinidad and Tobago, recorded two shutouts in 180 minutes last week. 

The first shutout came against Manhattan in a (3-0) victory and the second against La Salle (2-0). 

He combined for 10 saves and has posted a shutout in three of his first five games in net.

Others nominated: Chris Dodd (Houston Baptist), Joel Helmich (Longwood).

Houston Baptist’s Adi Mesic and Chris Dodd Named Player/Goalkeeper of the Week while Longwood’s Kevin Chico Tabs Rookie of the Week

NEWARK, NJ (Sept. 29) -- Houston Baptist’s Adi Mesic has been named Player of the Week while teammate Chris Dodd was honored as Goalkeeper of the Week and Longwood’s Kevin Chico tabs Rookie of the Week, the Atlantic Soccer Conference announced today.

Adi Mesic, from Sarajevo, Bosnia, scored the eventual game-winner in his first action of the season.  The Huskies sophomore snuck in behind the goalkeeper near the far post as his teammate gave him a quick pass in the 48th minute for a 1-0 lead in the game.  Houston Baptist went on to a 2-0 victory over University of St. Thomas.

Chris Dodd, from Bosie, Idao, picks up his second weekly honor of the year.  Dodd stopped five shots in the Huskies 2-0 victory over University of St. Thomas.  Dodd recorded his second shutout of the season and improved his record to 2-2 on the year.

Kevin Chico, from Harrisonburg, VA, scored his second goal of the year in the Lancers overtime win over Richmond.  The goal came in the 95th minute, when Chico blasted the ball into the net from 25-yard out.  The goal was Chico’s second of the year.

Howard's Iziduh Scores Two Goals in Loss to Jaspers
 
BRONX, N.Y. (Sept. 27) --  Junior Rotimi Iziduh scored two goals but it was not enough as Howard fell to Manhattan, 4-2, Saturday afternoon at Gaelic Park.

Iziduah scored his first goal at 54:22 on an assist from senior Guilherme Fonseca. The Nigeria native added his second goal of the game at 80:24, sending it in the net from the 16 yard line.

The Bison were led by Terrel Alleyne's four shot attempts, two of them on goal. Alleyne also added an assist in the loss.

Howard (0-8-1) returns to action on Sept. 30 against St. Francis (PA).

Iona Defeats Highlanders, 2-0
Gaels score twice in the first half

NEWARK, NJ (Sept. 27) —Iona scored two first-half goals, one on a deflection and another on a penalty kick and that was enough for the visiting Gaels in their 2-0 men’s soccer win over NJIT Saturday night on Lubetkin Field.

Iona, now 6-2, broke the ice at 17:55, when Aly Lo, who had two game-winning goals for the Gaels last week, scored what would become the game-winner against NJIT.

Lo, a senior midfielder, scored his fourth goal of the season to key the fifth straight victory for the Gaels, who are 6-2.

His low shot from about 22 yards out was deflected off of an NJIT defender, with the ball changing direction just enough to put Highlander goalkeeper Josh Osit in an awkward position to try for the save.

Osit, reacting to the shot, committed to where he expected the ball to go, and he was already on the ground when it arrived and rolled up and over his prone body to squirt over the goal line.

Iona got its second goal on a penalty kick by Ben Williams at 40:26. The shot was awarded when Mario Rios was tripped in the penalty area by a second NJIT defender who was arriving from behind to double-team Rios.

The penalty kick came after a period of 10 minutes or so when NJIT applied steady pressure and kept the ball in the Iona half of the field almost continuously.

For NJIT coach Pedro Lopes, it was a case of two evenly-matched teams, but one found a way to score its fifth straight win and the other dropped to 1-6-1, despite holding its own on the field.

“We did a lot of work and we created some dangerous situations, especially in the first half,” said Lopes. “But you’ve got to put one away. (Iona) got the breaks and took advantage of them to get their goals. We had our chances and didn’t score.”

NJIT’s best chance of the first half came minutes before Iona’s Lo actually scored the first goal. Erik Magnusson got off a quality shot from 20 yards, but Iona’s Nils Binstock, who would register his third straight 2-0 win and his fourth shutout overall, made the saves.

The best second-half scoring opportunity for the Highlanders came midway through the period when Gustav Warfving worked for a shot from 20 yards out, but Binstock got a piece of it and deflected it over the roof of the goal.

Binstock finished with two saves, while his NJIT counterpart, Osit, also made two saves. The total shots favored the Highlanders, 13-10.

NJIT, which plays its first nine contests of the 2008 season against teams from either the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference or the Northeast Conference, played its fifth, and final, 2008 game against a MAAC team when it faced Iona. The Highlanders finished 1-3-1 against their five MAAC foes.

Next up for the Highlanders is a game Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 in Teaneck, NJ, at Fairleigh Dickinson of the Northeast Conference.

Huskies Blank St. Thomas in Battle of Houston Teams
Mesic and Halili find the back of the net for HBU

Houston TX (Sept. 26)---Sophomore Adi Mesic scored his first goal of the season shortly after the half and it proved to be the game-winner in a battle of Houston men's soccer programs as HBU knocked off the University of St. Thomas 2-0 on Friday evening at Sorrels Field.

The first half saw opportunities for both teams but neither was able to make good on them and find the back of the net. In the second period, the Huskies turned it on and went on the offensive. Mesic, in his first action of the season, put one in with assists from Duke Ogega and George Sangira at the 48:55 mark. Just under 20 minutes later, senior Ruzhdi Halili took an Adam Jakle pass, beat the keeper and put the game out of reach.

Goalkeeper Chris Dodd earned his second victory of the season between the pipes, making five saves for his second shutout of the year. His record now stands at 2-2. HBU held an 8-5 advantage in shots on goal while the Celts attempted six corner kicks compared the HBU’s three.

Huskies’ head coach Steve Jones said, “Credit to St. Thomas, they work hard and they were really coming at us in the first half. In the last 12 minutes of the first period we started to put it together and then in the second half we really took charge. Sometimes getting that first goal is the most important because it really gets the team going. It’s good for us to face teams that are really going to come after us because that is what we are going to be facing when we travel to California and once we start conference play.”

HBU now stands at 3-2 on the season. The game was the Huskies' first since September 7. HBU will next travel to California for a pair of games. They face UC-Riverside on October 2nd and then Cal State Fullerton on October 4th. The next HBU home game will be October 6th against Delta State at 1:00 pm.

Longwood Defeats Richmond 2-1 In OT

RICHMOND, Va. (Sept. 24) - The Longwood University men’s soccer team (4-3-1) pulled out a come-from-behind victory over Richmond (1-7) on Wednesday evening, rallying to take the game 2-1 in overtime. The Lancers game winning goal came in the 95th minute from freshman Kevin Chico/Harrisonburg (Eastern Mennonite), who scored his second goal of the season. Longwood returns to the field on Wednesday, October 1 at 7 p.m., hitting the road to take on Radford.
   
“On the whole we deserved the win,” said head coach Jon Atkinson. “We worked very hard and never gave up. We are finally coming together and we’re getting the results that we deserve.”
   
Throughout the game the Lancers controlled possession, out-shooting the Spiders 18-6, placing eight of those shots on frame. In the first half alone, the Lancers ended the period with a 10-2 advantage. Despite being outshot, the Spiders managed to get on the board early, scoring in the ninth minute of action. The Lancers, however, continued to apply the pressure, though unlucky to not score one before the half.
   
The second half, much like the first, belong to the Lancers with the team coming out of the locker room fired up to even the game up. The moment would come just four minutes into the half, as junior Giovanni Peralta/Lorton (Robert E. Lee) found the back of the net. Peralta’s goal came after the ball hung around the box finding its way to his foot, allowing the 5-10 midfielder to take a crack a goal. The goal was Peralta’s first of the season.
   
“We played an excellent first half of soccer, but gave up a sloppy goal. We decided to change up the system in the second half and it paid off. We were able to get in two good goals and pull out a win. “
   
Both teams would play continue to play a high intensity game, but neither team would be able to close out the game in regulation.
   
It would not take the Lancers long into the sudden death period to close the door on the game, and claiming victory in a hard fought game. The goal would come off of Chico’s foot just five minutes into overtime, after the Lancers earned a corner kick. After the ball was placed in the box, it would find its way to Chico who blasted the ball past the Richmond keeper from 25 yards out.
   
Sophomore goalkeeper Avery Makel/Nellysford (Nelson County) had a fairly quiet game, playing all 95 minutes for the Lancers only being forced to make one save.
 

NJIT Ties Rider, 1-1
Both goals come within 38 seconds

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ (Sept. 23)—NJIT picked up its first men’s soccer tie of the season, coming away with a 1-1 draw after 110 minutes at Rider Tuesday afternoon.

NJIT’s Erik Magnusson scored at 19:44, sending home a rebound of a shot by teammate Patrick O’Driscoll and staking the Highlanders to a 1-0 lead.

"We got a good goal,” said NJIT coach Pedro Lopes. “They cleared to Pat O’Driscoll and he took a great shot. Their keeper (Dylan Hastings) made the save, but he couldn’t control it and it rebounded to Erik, who tucked it away.”

The Highlanders lead lasted just 38 seconds, as Rider drew even on a goal by Jim Bradley, assisted by Anthony Gilbert at 20:22.

Bradley’s goal was his team’s only shot on goal for the entire 110 minutes, but he had just missed earlier, hitting the post at 13:49.

“We started slow, but once Rider hit the post, we came together and took control of the game before we scored,” said Lopes.

Both starting goalkeepers went the distance—Josh Osit for NJIT and Hastings (five saves) for the Broncs.

The Highlanders had a decided 16-6 advantage in total shots and the shots on goal were 6-1 in favor of NJIT. The corner kicks were 5-4, Rider.

“We played pretty well,” said Lopes. “I was disappointed that we were caught napping to let them tie the game so soon after we had scored. But we played a lot of the game in their half of the field. We had quite a few plays where we got control of the ball at midfield for 3-v-2’s or 4-v-2’s, but we couldn’t get the sharp passes we needed.

“We came close a couple of times late in the second half and the overtimes. Erik (Magnusson) and Kevin (Blanco) each had headers that just went over the top.”

Tuesday’s result left both teams with similar records on the season, as NJIT is now 1-5-1 and Rider is 1-5-2. A year ago in Newark, Rider won the first Division I meeting between the schools, 3-1. The overall all-time series is 4-2-2 in favor of Rider.

NJIT, which plays its first nine games this season against teams either from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference or the Northeast Conference, is 1-2-1 against MAAC teams after tying Rider.

The Highlanders will meet their fifth, and final, MAAC foe of 2008 in the next contest, when they host Iona on Saturday at 7 pm on Lubetkin Field.

Adelphi’s Val Charalambous and Thorne Holder Sweep ASC Weekly Awards

NEWARK, NJ (Sept. 22) -- Adelphi’sVal Charalambous has been named Player of the Week while teammate Thorne Holder was honored as Goalkeeper of the Week as the Panthers swept the Atlantic Soccer Conference weekly awards for their performances last week.

Charalambous, a junior midfielder from Larnaka, Cyprus, scored the game-winning goal against Saint Peter’s in Adelphi’s 2-1 victory on Saturday evening.

The goal was scored in the 65th minute of play when Charalambous collected a rebound off a shot by teammate Kemalie Preston from 10 yards out and found nothing but the back of the net.

Thorne, a sophomore, from Trinidad and Tobago, registered his third win of the season in a 2-1 victory over Saint Peter’s. He added three saves in 90 minutes in front of the net.

The Panthers have extended their win streak to three, with the victory over Saint Peter’s.

Longwood Defeats VMI 3-2

FARMVILLE, VA (Sept. 20) - The Longwood University men’s soccer team (3-3-1) improved to .500 on Saturday afternoon in Farmville, as the team defeated VMI (0-5) 3-2. The Lancers freshmen continued their impressive seasons as both Kevin Chico/Harrisonburg (Eastern Mennonite) and Zach Mahon/San Antonio, Texas (William Howard Taft) picked up their first goals of the season. Longwood returns to the field on September 24 as they head to Richmond for a face-off with the Spiders at 7 p.m.

The Lancers were in complete control of the first half, outshooting the Keydets and astounding 11-5, while having a 5-1 advantage in corners. Mahon kicked off the scoring for the Lancers in the 15th minute, taking on the Keydet keeper one versus one. Mahon got the best of the VMI keeper, pulling him out of his box and slipping the ball past him on the left. Longwood would continue to dominate possession, coming up with several near chances, before a handball in the box earned the team a penalty kick. Sophomore Harvey Headley/Coventry, England (Stoke Park) stepped up to the ball for the Lancers, burying his team high third goal in the back of the Keydet goal.
   
The second half would start off a little different than the first with VMI coming out of the locker room and putting the pressure on the Lancers. The shot count in the second half would look much closer than in the first with the Lancers only having a 6-5 advantage.  Sonny Landry would earn back one of the Keydet goals in the 50th minute after his shot found its way to the far post.
   
Chico would put the Lancers up 3-1 in the 53rd minute, firing a shot from outside the 18-yard box that navigated its way to goal. The Keydets would manage to get one more goal in before the end of the game, but it would not be enough to take out an impressive Longwood side. 
   
“We played a good brand of football,” said head coach Jon Atkinson. “It’s always good to grind out results.  VMI came out and pressed us hard in the second half, just like we expected them to. The game could have been prettier, but the boys did a very nice job. The second half was much scrappier than the first, which happens. We allowed in two goals that could have been avoided, but overall a win is a win.”
   
Sophomore Avery Makel/Nellysford (Nelson County) picked up his first complete game of his career, coming up with six big saves.         

St. Francis (NY) Shuts Out Highlanders, 2-0
Visitors score both goals in the second half

NEWARK, NJ (Sept. 20) —Visiting St. Francis of New York raised its season record to 5-1-1 with a 2-0 victory on a pair of goals in a span of less than four minutes in the second half against NJIT Saturday night in men’s soccer on Lubetkin Field.

The visiting Terriers, whose defense bottled up the Highlanders all night, broke a scoreless tie in the 55th minute and then added an insurance goal in the 58th minute of an impressive all around win. Senior Alessandro Silaco assisted on the first goal and scored the second for the Terriers.

The first tally came at 54:09, as Javier Gonzalez headed the ball into the goal off of a free kick by Silaco, who sent a high ball toward the far post on a boot from about 20 yards off the end line and close to the right sideline.

The Terriers added insurance on an attractive goal that saw the explosive John Sallhag carry the ball from 35 yards out to the top of the box. Sallhag then fed a ground pass to Silaco, who was coming down the middle and used a quick burst to get a stride on his defender before making no mistake with a one-on-one shot to beat NJIT goalkeeper Josh Osit, who had a strong game himself.

“I thought number 11 (Sallhag) is the best player we’ve seen this year,” said NJIT coach Pedro Lopes. “He was putting pressure on us all night and he made a great play to set up that second goal.”

The goals were the first of the year for both Gonzalez and Salaco, while Salaco and Sallhag each notched his third assist of the year.

St. Francis, which has allowed just three goals in seven games this season, posted its third straight shutout and its fifth of the season overall, having won four of the shutouts and tied the other.

Chris Antonino, who has played every minute of the season in goal for St. Francis, got his fifth shutout, although he was never truly tested Saturday night, as his teammates controlled play from the midfield back to the goal.

Osit made seven saves for the Highlanders, including a point blank stop in the opening two minutes of the match and later a couple of more difficult stops when St. Francis was trying to extend its lead in the last 15 minutes.

The overall shots were 19-9 in favor of the visitors and the Terriers put nine shots on goal to two for the Highlanders. St. Francis had a 7-6 edge in corner kicks.

“They’re a good team,” said Lopes of St. Francis. “They shut us down in midfield and number three (Anthony Matos) was in control of the back line, where they shut us down, too.”

Lopes felt that confidence was a difference between the two teams. “St. Francis is having a good year and I thought it showed when they were attacking,” he said. “I think today our frustration at not being able to score showed and our morale dropped when (St. Francis) got the first goal. A good team senses when you’re down and they took advantage to get the second goal.”

NJIT will visit Rider in Lawrenceville, NJ, on Tuesday at 4 pm.

Men's Soccer Runs Win Streak to Three, Top St. Peter's 2-1
The Panthers scored the only goal in the second half.

Garden City, N.Y. (Sept. 20) - The Adelphi University men's soccer team played host to St. Peter's College on Saturday, September 20 in a non-conference contest. The Panthers out shot the Peacocks, 18-10, keeping the pressure on St. Peter's to collect the 2-1 victory. The win runs Adelphi's win streak to three games and raises their overall mark to 3-4, while St. Peter's falls to 2-3-2 overall.

The Peacocks opened the scoring just four minutes into the action as Udi Naim corraled a deflection 11 yards from the Panther goal and beat Adelphi goalkeeper Thorne Holder top right corner. 20 minutes later the Brown and Gold countered as Patrick Figueiredo moved toward the end line before sending the ball back toward the middle of the Peacock box to a waiting Kemalie Preston. Preston collected the ball and rippled the net from 12 yards out, knotting the game at one.

Adelphi controlled the action in the second half, but did not pull ahead until the 65th minute. Preston was involved in the action again as he struck a shot from the outside of the Peacock box that St. Peter's goalie Hernard Santamaria turned away. However the rebound went right to Val Charalambous, whose header found nothing but open space as he gave Adelphi a 2-1 lead that was never seriously in jeopardy.

Santamaria kept the Peacocks in the game, making eight saves, while Holder picked up three in the win.

Adelphi returns to action on September 30 when they travel to Riverdale, New York for a 7:00 pm meeting with Manhattan College.

LIU Holds On Against Highlanders, 1-0
Only goal comes in 31st minute

BROOKLYN, NY (Sept. 16)—Long Island University scored the game’s only goal in the 31st minute and then held off hard-charging NJIT for a 1-0 men’s soccer win Tuesday night on LIU Field.

The Blackbirds, who have won their last two after an 0-4 start, struck on a play that fit well with their home field style of play. The dimensions of LIU Field are relatively small, placing a premium on the ability to win balls in traffic and the Blackbirds are adept at playing throw-ins and corner kicks into the box and also at winning balls in the air.

The LIU came off a throw-in and also mixed in a header, as Rommel Forde threw the ball into the box, where Jukka Lehto headed it toward the far post and Mohammed Mashriqi struck it into the goal from about six yards away with 14:25 left in the first half.

Ryan Sutherland, making his second consecutive start in goal for the Highlanders, was credited with two saves, while his LIU counterpart, Michael Wood, got three saves in recording his first shutout of the season.

Trailing 1-0 at halftime, NJIT coach Pedro Lopes made some adjustments, including moving Devon Newton to midfield and inserting Rafael Barrera on the back line and the result was a stronger presence in the air for the Highlanders, which helped them take control of the play in the last 45 minutes.

Outshot in the first half, 10-2, the Highlanders, having made their adjustments, turned the tables and outshot the home team, 8-2, after the break.

One of Wood’s saves was a game-changer with about 15 minutes left, as he stopped a strong shot by Eddie Romero, who was playing a cross from Erik Magnusson. “The keeper made an unbelievable save,” said Lopes.

Toward the end, NJIT’s Gustav Warfving worked to get a breakaway, but his shot was off target over the top of the goal.

“We played well,” said Lopes. “We had our chances and I thought we outplayed them in the second half, but we couldn’t put one past their keeper. Being ahead, 1-0, they were able to defend for the whole second half and we just couldn’t get the goal.”

Lopes, whose team was denied a chance for back-to-back victories, having won 3-2 in its previous outing at Manhattan over the weekend, sees positive signs.

“We’re outplaying our opposition for significant stretches, but we just haven’t been able to capitalize yet,” said the coach. “Our guys feel it. It’s right there for them, but they still haven’t been able to get the score they deserve. If we keep doing this, we’ll be rewarded.”

The next opponents for NJIT are also from Brooklyn, but the St. Francis Terriers will be coming to Newark, where they’ll take on the Highlanders on Saturday at 7 pm on Lubetkin Field.
 

Figueiredo, Holder Earn ASC Weekly Honors
Patrick Figueiredo and Thorne Holder were named ASC Player and Goalie of The Week.