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Soccer Seven Kicks off 2008 Season with Preseason Scrimmages at Drexel
Philadelphia, Pa. – Drexel University’s Vidas Field will play host to the Philadelphia Soccer Seven’s annual preseason scrimmages this weekend. On Saturday, August 23, five of Philadelphia’s Six Division I soccer programs will be in action.
The exhibition scrimmages are set to kickoff at 3:00 p.m. when La Salle plays an intrasquad scrimmage. Saint Joseph’s and Villanova clash at 5:00 p.m. The host Drexel Dragons will play Temple at 7:00 p.m.
Admission for the all-day event is $5 for adults and $3 for students and children. Parking is free at the Vidas Athletic Complex. For directions to the field visit www.drexeldragons.com
Villanova Named 2007 Soccer Seven Team of the Year, Mike Seamon Garners Player of the Year Honors
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven named the Villanova Wildcats its team of the Year after a performance that included going undefeated without allowing a goal in Soccer Seven Play and knocking off top-ranked Duke in non-conference play. The Wildcats’ sophomore midfielder Mike Seamon was named the league’s Player of the Year. Seamon led the Soccer Seven in scoring with nine goals and 20 points and was a two-time Player of the Week selection during the season. Drexel’s Lew Meehl was named Coach of the Year. Meehl led the Dragons to a 11-5-3 record and a first-place finish in the Colonial Athletic Association. Meehl takes the coaching honor for the 13th time in his coaching career. Penn’s Josh Baugh and La Salle’s Walter McMahon shared John McAdams Academic Player of the Year honors. Baugh is a 4.0 pre-med major at Penn and McMahon is a 3.82 accounting major. Saint Joseph’s Colin Baker was named the William “Bill” Wilkinson Freshman of the Year. Baker earns the award, which was named for deceased Drexel hall-of-fame player and La Salle coach William Wilkinson, after leading the Hawks in goals and points on the season.
Penn’s Omid Shokoufandeh Earns Final Soccer Seven Player of the Week For ‘07
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven has honored Penn junior Omid Shokoufandeh (Los Angeles, Calif./Santa Monica) as its Player of the Week for his performance during the week of Nov. 5-11. Shokoufandeh scored the game-winning goal for the Quakers in their season finale against Cornell. Penn came from behind to knot the match at 1-1 in the 60th minute on a penalty kick. Shokoufandeh’s goal was set up by a free kick taken by Alex Grendi. Jeffrey Livingtston directed the ball to Shokoufandeh who deposited it in the net with less than a minute and a half remaining in the match, giving Penn the 2-1 victory.
On the Philadelphia Soccer Seven Honor Role this week are Drexel’s Anthony Bafile and Brandon Fischer. Both Dragons played an integral role in the team’s success this season which resulted in a share of the regular-season CAA Championship and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. The duo earned All-Tournament Team honors for their performance in the Dragons’ 2-0 semifinal loss to Towson on Friday.
The Soccer Seven will honor its top players, teams and coaches from the 2007 season at its annual awards banquet on Monday, Nov. 26 at Colleen’s on Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
La Salle's Kevin Lydic and Drexel's Anthony Bafile Share Player of the Week Honors
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven has honored Drexel sophomore Anthony Bafile (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) and La Salle’s Kevin Lydic (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) as Co-Players of the Week for their performances during the week of Nov. 5-12. Lydic led the Explorers to a 1-1 record on the week, scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-0 shutout of Richmond on Friday and tallying the team’s only goal in a 2-1 loss at George Washington on Sunday. Lydic finishes the season ranked fourth in the Soccer Seven in goals and eighth in points per game. Lydic’s co-honoree, Anthony Bafile, lifted Drexel to a 3-0 victory over regional rival Delaware on Thursday, which secured Drexel’s share of the regular season CAA championship. The sophomore started the match as a striker, scored one goal and assisted on another, then played solid defense when he moved to the back line in the second half, clearly displaying his versatility on the field. Bafile, who has registered a point in each of Drexel’s conference victories this season, is currently tied for first in the Soccer Seven in points per game and assists.
On the Philadelphia Soccer Seven Honor Role this week are Temple’s Tony Pratico (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) and Saint Joseph’s Colin Baker (North Wales, Pa./La Salle). Pratico helped snap Temple’s eight-match winless streak with three saves in a double-overtime shutout of UMass on Friday. The senior wraps up his Temple career as the school’s all-time goals against average leader with a 1.00 career GAA. Baker, the Hawks’ top freshman this season, gave it his all to keep Saint Joseph’s hopes of postseason play alive. With his team trailing 4-0 to Rhode Island, Baker converted two free-kick opportunities for goals to draw the Hawks within 4-2 before time ran out on the season. Baker completes his freshman campaign as the second leading goal scorer in the Soccer Seven, with eight tallies this season.
Drexel Keeper Cory Robertson Earns Second Player of the Week Honor
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven has named Drexel keeper Cory Robertson (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon) its Player of the Week for his performance during the week of Oct. 29 to Nov. 4. The junior did not allow a goal in 200 minutes between the pipes for Drexel over the weekend. On Friday he made a season-high six stops to shutout William & Mary 1-0, the team’s first ever win against the Tribe. The victory also clinched a conference tournament berth for the Dragons for the first time since 2002. Robertson was equally impressive on Sunday when he made three saves and broke up countless other scoring attempts as Drexel played to a scoreless draw with its conference co-leader Old Dominion. Robertson leads the Soccer Seven and is ranked nationally with a 0.47 goals-against average and he has posted seven shutouts this season.
On the Philadelphia Soccer Seven Honor Role this week are Villanova’s Chris Christian (West Orange, N.J./West Orange), La Salle’s Ryan Richter (Southampton, Pa./William Tennent) and Philadelphia’s Jon Burke (Belle Mead, N.J./Montgomery). Christian treated Villanova fans to a thrilling bicycle-kick goal, which knotted the match a 1-1 against Louisville, it was the freshman’s first career goal. The Explorers’ Ryan Richter tallied his fifth goal of the season in La Salle’s 2-1 loss to UMass. The rookie currently leads the team in points and goals. Sophomore Jon Burke recorded his first career tally just 64 seconds into the Rams’ match with Chestnut Hill on Wednesday. His goal led Philadelphia to a 2-0 victory.
Villanova's Michael Seamon Garners Second Player of the Week Nod
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven has named Villanova forward Michael Seamon (Rahway, N.J./Union Catholic) its Player of the Week for his performance during the week of Oct. 22-28. Seamon, who garners the award for his second time this season, scored three goals in a span of 10 minutes to bring Villanova from behind at Syracuse for a 3-2 victory. The sophomore currently leads the Soccer Seven in goals (9) and points (20). He also earned Player of the Week honors on Sept. 17 and is the first repeat winner this season.
On the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week are La Salle’s Andrew Bernhard (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield), Temple’s Brian Henderson (Webster, Mass./Bartlett) and Saint Joseph’s Colin Baker (North Wales, Pa./La Salle College). Bernhard recorded both victories in goal for the Explorers this weekend and posted his first shutout of the season, 1-0, against St. Bonaventure. Temple’s Henderson scored both of the Owls’ goals in a 3-2 loss at Xavier, Henderson currently leads the team with four goals on the season. Baker knocked in the game-winner for Saint Joseph’s in the 100th minute at Xavier, the Hawks’ fourth win conference win of the season.
Drexel's Robertson and Penn's Tasigianis Share Player of the Week Honors
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven has named Drexel keeper Cory Robertson (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon) and Penn forward Loukas Tasigianis (Ridgefield, N.J./Dwight-Englewood) Co-Players of the Week for the week of Oct. 15-21. Robertson posted back-to-back conference shutouts on the road over the weekend. The junior has not allowed a goal in his last 289:41 in net, spanning four matches and including three shutouts. He is currently tops in the Soccer Seven in netminding with a 0.35 goals-against average. Tasigianis netted both goals for the Quakers in a 2-1 overtime victory against Ivy League rival Yale. The freshman earned his first career start and scored 25 seconds into the match, 100 minutes later he collected his second goal, putting in the game-winner in the 101st minute to give Penn its second conference win of the season. Tasigainis currently leads the Quakers in goals and points on the season.
On the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week are Philadelphia’s Devon Klipp (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen), Temple’s Tony Pratico (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), Saint Joseph’s Patrick Duddy (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn) and La Salle’s Joe Heavey (Coatesville, Pa./Devon Prep.). Klipp contributed a goal and an assist to Philadelphia’s 3-1 win over Saint Joseph’s. Pratico, Temple’s senior keeper, allowed just two goals in 200 minutes in the net last week. Duddy, last week’s Player of the Week, continued his steady play by scoring goals in the Hawks’ loss to Philadelphia and the team’s conference win over George Washington. La Salle’s Joe Heavey scored the game-winner in the Explorer’s overtime win against Xavier, he also assisted on the team’s lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Dayton.
Saint Joseph's Senior Patrick Duddy Named Soccer Seven Player of the Week
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven has honored Saint Joseph’s senior Patrick Duddy (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn) as its Player of the Week. The forward scored the game-winning goal in the Hawks’ 1-0 victory over Temple in their conference opener. Duddy stripped a Temple defender of the ball and sprinted 18 yards before unleashing his shot from 10 yards out to beat keeper Tony Pratico in the 81st minute on Saturday. The victory snapped a six-match winless streak for Saint Joseph’s and it was the first time since 2003 that the Hawks won their conference opener.
On the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week are Penn’s Derek Hobson (San Diego, Calif./Francis Parker) and Drexel’s Anthony Bafile (West Chester, Pa./Henderson). Hobson scored the game-winner against American last Tuesday, his second decisive goal of the season. Bafile scored the first of two goals in Drexel’s 2-1 win over Towson on Friday, his team-leading fourth of the season. The sophomore also served up a corner kick that resulted in a game-winning header by Mark Stevenson in the 11th minute of Drexel’s 1-0 win over George Mason on Sunday.
Temple's Pratico and Penn's Klein Named Soccer Seven Co-Players of the Week
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven has named Penn junior Mike Klein (Brookfield, Wisc./Marquette) and Temple senior keeper Tony Pratico (Philadelpia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) Co-Players of the Week for their performance during the week of Oct. 1-8. Klein scored two goals in a matter of five minutes to give the Quakers a 3-2 victory at Columbia. The junior forward knocked in a loose ball after a scramble at the face of the goal to knot the match at 2-2 in the 66th and minutes later he would deposit what would prove to be the game-winner in the 70th minute. Klein’s first goals of the season gave the Quakers a 1-0 start in Ivy League play for the second straight season. In the net for Temple, Tony Pratico has helped to even the Owls’ record at 4-4-1 after a shaky start. Pratico has posted a 3-2-1 mark since taking over net minding duties this season. Last week, Pratico blanked La Salle 2-0 for his second shutout in Soccer Seven play. Pratico and Villanova keeper Jason Friel are the only goalies to make it through the Soccer Seven schedule without allowing a goal this year. The senior is tied for second among Soccer Seven keepers in goals-against average and shutouts.
This week’s Soccer Seven Honor Roll features Saint Joseph’s Michael McInaw (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin), Villanova’s Joe Taylor (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and Drexel’s Carlos Ruthner (Delran, N.J./Burlington CC). McInaw scored the equalizer in the Hawks’ 1-1 draw with NJIT, it was the junior’s first goal of the season. Taylor put in the game-winner in Villanova’s exciting 2-1 overtime victory at Rutgers. Ruthner scored two goals on the week to help Drexel go 2-0 in conference play on the road. The second of Ruthner’s tallies was the Dragons’ game-winner in a 1-0 victory at Virginia Commonwealth on Sunday.
Villanova's Mergenthal and Penn's Ferry Share Player of the Week Honors
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven has named Penn junior Andrew Ferry (Wyndmoor, Pa./Chestnut Hill Academy) and Villanova freshman Sean Mergenthal (Blackwood, N.J./Highland Regional) Co-Players of the Week for their performances during the week of Sept. 23-30. Ferry scored two goals in the Quakers’ 4-0 win over Saint Joseph’s and also assisted on the final goal of the match. The victory was Penn’s second of the season and gave the team a 1-0-1 mark in Soccer Seven Play. Ferry currently leads his team in goals and points. Mergenthal scored both of his team’s goals in a 2-0 victory at Seton Hall and he also assisted on the game-winning goal in the Wildcats’ 1-0 win at Georgetown. Mergenthal leads Villanova in assists and he is second in goals and points.
On the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week are Philadelphia’s Ezra Cassel (Denver, Pa./Cocalico), Drexel’s Nate Baker (Andover, Mass./Andover) and Temple’s Kenechukwu Nwanah (Abuya, Nigeria/Loyola Jesuit College). Along with Ferry and Mergenthal, Baker also scored two goals in a victory for his team. The freshman got his first two collegiate tallies in Drexel’s 3-0 thumping of Iona, the first on a 30-yard blast and the second on the volley of a beautiful serve from the sideline near midfield. Cassel, who has been having a solid season in goal at Philadelphia, posted his second shutout in the Rams’ 1-0 overtime win against NJIT. The sophomore made five stops in the net to earn the blanking. He now has 52 saves on the season, which leads all Soccer Seven keepers. Nwanah came off the bench to knock in the game-winning goal in Temple’s 2-0 shutout over Philadelphia in Soccer Seven play. The freshman, who played just 31 minutes in the match, also assisted on the second goal.
La Salle's Ryan Dougherty Named Soccer Seven Player of the Week
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven has named La Salle University junior Ryan Dougherty (Wilmington, Del./Salesiun) Player of the Week for his performance during the week of Sept. 17-23. The forward scored two goals and assisted on a third in the Explorers’ 4-1 victory over Saint Joseph’s on Sept. 22. Dougherty is currently second on his team in goals and points on the season.
On the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week are Villanova’s Mike Seamon (Rahway, N.J./Union Catholic) and Penn’s Alex Fairman (Ardmore, Pa./The Haverford School). Seamon, the reigning Player of the Week last week, scored the game-winner in the Wildcats’ 1-0 victory over Marquette in their conference opener, giving him goals in three straight matches. Fairman, a junior defender for the Quakers, headed in the equalizer in the 71st minute of Penn’s 1-1 draw against Lehigh.
Villanova's Mike Seamon Named Player of the Week
Philadelphia, Pa. – Villanova sophomore Mike Seamon (Rahway, N.J./Union Catholic) has been named Soccer Seven Player of the week. The forward led his team to Soccer Seven victories over Saint Joseph’s and Drexel, scoring a pair of goals in each match. Seamon leads the Wildcats and the Soccer Seven with five tallies on the season and one assist for 11 points. This is the second week in a row that a Villanova player has earned the award; goalkeeper Jason Friel took home the honor last week. The Wildcats have won five straight matches, four of them by shutout.
La Salle’s Jim Davis (Pittsgrove, N.J./A.P. Schalick) and Penn’s Derek Hobson (San Diego, Calif./Francis Parker) earned places on the Soccer Seven’s Honor Roll for the week. Davis scored with six minutes left in regulation to knot the Explorers’ match against Penn 1-1. La Salle would hold on for the tie in its first Soccer Seven match of the season. Hobson scored the go-ahead goal in Penn’s 2-1 victory over Hartwick on Friday, helping the Quakers win their fourth consecutive Penn Soccer Classic. The tri-captain nearly netted another win for Penn on Sunday, but his header in overtime against La Salle was turned away by the Explorers’ keeper.
Red-Hot Villanova Hands Drexel Its First Loss of the Season
Philadelphia, Pa. - In a match-up of two hottest teams in Philadelphia soccer, Villanova continued its streak of dominance with a 3-0 victory over Drexel. In the past two weeks both squads have defeated nationally ranked teams with Villanova knocking off No. 1 Duke and Drexel downing No. 16 Lehigh. The loss was Drexel's first of the season, dropping the Dragons' record to 2-1-2 while Villanova improves to 5-1 on the season. Mike Seamon scored twice for the Wildcats and the team posted its fourth consecutive shutout.
Villanova dominated play on the offensive side early in the game and took a 3-0 lead in the first 30 minutes of the match against a steady Drexel defense led by keeper Derrec Mongan who had allowed just one goal in his last 310 minutes of work between the pipes. Villanova goalie Jason Friel, the reigning Soccer Seven Player of the Week, extended his shutout streak to 418:51, and he has posted shutouts in his last three starts.
Seamon put the Wildcats on top in the sixth minute when he took a pass from Sean Mergenthal on the right side of the goal box. The sophomore dribbled to buy time and find his target, then placed a shot to the opposite side of the net in the lower corner to make it 1-0.
Just under 15 minutes later, Seamon tallied again after weaving his way through Drexel's defenders at the top of the box. He then rolled his shot to the lower right corner as Drexel keeper Derrec Mongan charged out to challenge him.
Joe Taylor made it a 3-0 match when he timed a run into the box as Farris Fakhoury lifted a pass into the right side of the box from the right sideline. Taylor slid in to get a foot on the ball and deflect it past Mongan on the right side of the goal in the 31st minute.
Drexel turned up the intensity in the second half, blasting eight shots and earning eight corner kicks. The Dragons' best scoring opportunity came late in the period when they earned three consecutive corner kicks. They were unable to convert, however, as time ran out on their first loss of the young season.
Villanova's Jason Friel Earns Player of the Week After Shutting Out No. 1 Duke
Philadelphia, Pa. – Villanova’s senior keeper Jason Friel (Dublin, Pa./Pennridge) has been named the Philadelphia Soccer Seven Player of the Week for the week ending on Sept. 10. Friel made 10 saves in a 1-0 shutout victory over No. 1 Duke en route to the Wildcats’ championship at the Duke Invitational in Durham, N.C. On the week Friel posted three victories, and two shutouts while making 15 saves in net. Friel was named MVP of the tournament after his sterling performance.
Temple’s Mackenson Altidor (Abaco, Bahamas/Northern Oklahoma, J.C.), La Salle’s Kyle Quigley (Millersville, Md./Severna Park) and Drexel’s Derrec Mongan (Ocean Springs, Miss./Ocean Spings) were all named to the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week. Altidor led the Owls to a pair of victories en route to the Drexel Invitational Championship. He was named the tournament’s defensive MVP for his play. Quigley, a freshman keeper at La Salle, earned a shutout in his first collegiate victory, blanking Columbia 1-0. Drexel’s keeper Derrec Mongan allowed just one goal in his last 310 minutes of action in the net. He led the Dragons to a 1-0-2 record last week with shutouts of Rider and Philadelphia.
SJU’s Baker, Drexel’s Bafile Share Soccer Seven Player of the Week Award
Philadelphia, Pa. - Saint Joseph’s freshman Colin Baker (North Wales, Pa./La Salle) and Drexel sophomore Anthony Bafile (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) have been named the Philadelphia Soccer Seven co-Players of the Week. Baker had a hat trick in the Hawks’ win at the Coastal Carolina Tournament. Bafile scored a pair of goals in Drexel overtime win against nationally-ranked Lehigh on Saturday.
Temple’s Tony Pratico (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) heads up the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week. The senior held Navy scoreless in a 0-0 tie and made four saves. He had a 0.90 goals-against average for the week and and .800 save percentage. La Salle freshman Ryan Richter (Southampton, PA/ William Tennent) was also named to the Honor Roll. He scored a goal in each of the Explorer's first two games over the weekend at the Puma Classic (Lafayette).
Soccer Seven Kicks off 2007 With Play Day at La Salle
Philadelphia, Pa. - La Salle's McCarthy Stadium will play host to the 2007 Philadelphia Soccer Seven Play Day. The annual event will see all seven of Philadelphia's Division I soccer programs in action on Saturday, Aug. 25. Philadelphia and Penn will begin the proceedings at 1:00 followed by Saint Joseph's and UMBC at 3:00. Drexel will take on Temple at 5:00 and defending Soccer Seven Team of the Year La Salle will face Villanova in the nightcap at 7:00.
Penn's Daniel Cepero Named Soccer Seven Player of the Year, La Salle Voted Team of the Year
Philadelphia, Pa. – Penn goal keeper Daniel Cepero (Baldwin, N.Y.) has been named the Philadelphia Soccer Seven’s 2006 Chris Jones Player of the Year after compiling a stellar season for the Quakers between the pipes. The goalie led the Soccer Seven with a stingy 0.76 goals-against average, an .826 save percentage and eight shutouts this season. Cepero’s Quakers finished with a 9-4-2 record which was good enough for second place in the Ivy League this year. For his solid play this season, Cepero was named to the All-Ivy League First Team. Cepero hold’s Penn’s career record for shutouts with 23 blanking in his four years with the crimson and blue. He is a two-time Soccer Seven All-Star, including his selection this year, and he was a five-time member of the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this season. He was also recognized by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America as Third Team All-Regional selection. He capped his collegiate career last week when the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer drafted him in the fourth round of the supplemental draft.
Coach Rudy Fuller of Penn was the recipient of the Bill Harris Coach of the Year award for a second consecutive year. Fuller guided the Quakers to a hot start, winning seven of their first 10 matches including the prestigious Mayor’s Cup hosted by Hartwick College. The team finished 9-4-2 on the season and lead the Ivy League for the majority of the season with a loss to Dartmouth and a draw with Brown as the lone blemishes on its conference record. Fuller coached three players to Soccer Seven All-Star status and the Quakers garnered Player of the Week awards five times this season.
Drexel freshman Fabio Assumpção (Alvez, Brazil) earned the Soccer Seven’s Freshman of the Year Award. Assumpção turned in an astounding year for the Dragons. All four of the rookie’s team-leading goals this season were game winners and his lone assist of the year was on a game-winning goal. Assumpção directly contributed to five of the Dragons’ six wins in just his first season with the team. The Brazilian import ranked ninth in the Soccer Seven in points-per-game at 0.53.
Josh Baugh (Daly City, Calif.), a sophomore midfielder at the University of Pennsylvania, garnered the Soccer Seven’s John McAdams Academic Player of the Year honors. Baugh is a pre-med major at Penn specializing in the biological basis of behavior. In his two years as a Quaker, Baugh has maintained a perfect 4.0 grade-point average while contributing to the success of Penn’s soccer team.
The La Salle Explorers were named the Philadelphia Soccer Seven 2006 Team of the Year as selected by the leagues’ coaches. The Explorers finished the season with a 7-9-2 record overall and a perfect 2-0 mark in Soccer Seven matches. On Sept. 3, 2006, La Salle defeated NCAA qualifier George Mason 2-0. The Explorers led the Soccer Seven in goals scored with 28 and placed two players on the All-Star Team: Jeremy Ortiz and Jim Davis. Ortiz and Joey Foster earned spots on the All-Atlantic 10 team and Ortiz went on to be honored as an NSCAA All-Region First Team selection.
Quakers' Kevin Unger Garners Second Soccer Seven Player of the Week
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven named Penn’s sophomore midfielder Kevin Unger (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Marquette High) its Player of the Week for his performance during the week of Oct. 30-Nov 5. Unger garnered his second Player of the Week award after scoring the golden goal for the Quakers in their 1-0 overtime victory against Princeton on Saturday, Nov. 4. With just 27 seconds left in the first overtime period, Unger fired a shot from a wide angle on the left side of the field which found the lower right corner of the net for the game-winning tally. Unger has scored both of Penn’s golden goals this season. The victory was the Quakers’ first win over Princeton during the Rudy Fuller coaching era and gave the team a shot at the Ivy League crown. Harvard went on to defeat Columbia 3-1, however, to snatch a share of the title away from the Quakers. Unger also earned the Player of the Week Award on Oct. 9.
Goalies Daniel Cepero (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin), of Penn, and Mike Wallover (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic), of Philadelphia University, are on Honor Roll this week. Cepero made five saves including one in overtime to preserve his Soccer-Seven-leading eighth shutout of the season. The blanking tied Cepero’s 2005 single-season record for shutouts and secured his grip on first place on the Quakers’ career list by a margin of seven shutouts ahead of the next closest keeper. Wallover made eight stops in the Rams’ 1-0 loss to Adelphi in the semifinals of the Atlantic Soccer Conference Tournament. The junior’s eight saves were the second most for him this season and helped keep the Rams in the contest despite being outshot 14-9 overall and 9-1 in shots on goal. Top-seeded Adelphi went on to defeat Florida Atlantic for the ASC Championship.
Explorers' Jim Davis Honored as Soccer Seven Player of the Week
Philadelphia, Pa. – La Salle University sophomore Jim Davis (Pittsgrove, N.J./A.P. Schalick) has been named the Philadelphia Soccer Seven Player of the Week for his performance during the week ending on Oct. 29. Davis scored twice in the Explorers’ 2-1 victory over George Washington that closed out the team’s 2006 season. The sophomore midfielder opened scoring just over three minutes into the match with a shot to the upper corner of the net off a feed from Brian Barry. After the Colonials knotted the score at 1-1, Davis provided the game-winning goal in the 46th minute when he blasted a shot through traffic from about 40 yards out that found the net. The two-goal performance vaulted Davis into sixth place on the Soccer Seven scoring leaders list and the Explorers’ victory gave the team the second most wins in the Soccer Seven this season.
On the Honor Roll this week are keepers from Saint Joseph’s, Bryan Benedict (Annandale, Va./Bishop O’Connell), and Penn, Daniel Cepero (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin), and Drexel midfielder Dominick Balsamo (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy). Benedict, a former Player of the Week this season, stopped a career-high 11 shots to preserve his third shutout of the season in Saint Joseph’s 0-0 tie with Fordham. The Hawks played in six overtime matches this season and tied four of them. Benedict has been responsible for all of Saint Joseph’s shutouts this season. Cepero also turned in a stellar performance in scoreless tie, as Penn and Brown battled through four periods of play. The blanking in the senior’s seventh of the season and 22nd in his successful career at Penn. He shut down a Brown offense that had been averaging just under two goals per game. Balsamo ended his Drexel career with a pair of goals in a 3-2 loss at Delaware. The senior, who recovered from two injury red shirt seasons during his tenure as a Dragon, ended his six-year run at Drexel with 13 goals and 13 assists. He ranks 11th on Drexel’s all-time assist list and is among the program’s top 30 leaders in points.
Penn's Keith Vereb Nets Player of the Week
Honors
Philadelphia, Pa. – University of Pennsylvania junior Keith Vereb (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic) has been named the Philadelphia Soccer Seven’s Player of the Week for the week ending on Oct. 22. During the week Vereb helped the Quakers retain their perch atop the Ivy League standings by scoring the game-winning goal in a 1-0 shutout of Yale. His goal came just over three minutes into the match on a long ball into traffic that got through the goalie’s hands and into the net. The junior also gave Penn an equalizer against American to force overtime in an eventual 2-1 loss. Vereb is the third different Quaker to earn Player of the Week honors this season.
On the Honor Roll this week are Saint Joseph’s Jason Lewis (Palmyra, N.J./Palmyra), La Salle’s Jeremy Ortiz (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) and Villanova’s Joe Taylor (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood). Lewis came up with the game-winning goal for the Hawks in a 1-0 shutout of Duquesne, the fifth-place team in the Atlantic 10. The freshman headed home the goal in the seventh minute of play off a cross from Ian Kane. Saint Joseph’s victory was the Hawks’ first conference win since 2004 and snapped a 21-match conference losing streak. Taylor scored Villanova’s lone goal in a 2-1 double-overtime loss to Cincinnati. Taylor lofted a shot from 32-yards out that cleared the goal keeper and dove into the goal. Ortiz scored the Explorers’ first goal, which held up as the game-winner, in a 2-0 victory over Xavier. The junior forward knocked home a serve from Brian Barry off a free kick outside the penalty box. Ortiz currently leads the Explorers in goals and points and is third in the Soccer Seven in both categories.
La Salle Blanks Xavier 2-0
Philadelphia, Pa. – After two tough weeks in the conference, the Explorers (6-8-2; 2-4-1)bounced back to defeate Xavier 2-0 (6-8-1; 3-2-1). Dan Pfieffer (Warminster, PA/William Tennant) earned his third shut out of the season with four saves.
The Explorers struck early in the game, when a Xavier foul set up a free kick from the penalty box by sophomore Brian Barry (Arnold, MD/Archbishop Spalding), who dropped the ball right into the waiting feet of Jeremy Ortiz (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape). From there Ortiz flicked the ball into the net past the Xavier goalkeeper, giving the Explorers an early 1-0 lead.
The second goal was recorded in the 51st minute of the game. Jim Davis (Pittsgrove, NJ/A.P. Schalick) sent in a deep shot from midfield that was deflected by Xavier. Kevin Lydic (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) found the ball through the crowd and scored the second goal of the match after rebounding the first blocked shot.
Penn Retains Ivy League Lead With 1-0 Win Over Yale
New Haven, Conn. - The University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team shut out Yale, 1-0 in New Haven, Conn. Saturday night. For the second straight match, junior Keith Vereb tallied the Quakers' goal. Scoring at 3:04, Penn held the Bulldogs at bay for the rest of regulation to retain a share of the lead in the Ivy League. The Red and Blue and improved to 8-4-1 overall and 4-1-0 in Ivy play while the Elis dropped to 4-9-1 (1-4-0 Ivy).
Penn came charging out of the gates and scored an opportunistic goal in the fourth minute of action. Vereb fired a long ball through traffic to Yale keeper Erik Geiger who mishandled the ball and conceded the only goal the Quakers would need.
The Bulldogs came back strong on the attack, doubling Penn in shots (16-8). Senior Daniel Cepero made six big saves in net while the Quakers' reformatted defense kept Yale from advancing. Cepero banked his sixth shutout of the season and 21st of his career. Geiger made just one save for the Elis.
The win snapped a two-game skid for the Red and Blue, and it could not happen at a better time as Penn's co-leader in the Ivy race, Harvard, defeated Princeton. Meanwhile, Brown and Dartmouth continue to knock at the door, two points back.
Saint Joseph's Knocks off Duquesne, 1-0
Philadelphia, Pa. - The Saint Joseph's men's soccer team turned in a stellar team effort Sunday at Finnesey Field, shutting out Duquesne, 1-0. Freshman Jason Lewis scored the game's only goal in the seventh minute to provide the offense for the Hawks in their upset of the second-place Dukes. Sophomore Bryan Benedict sparkled in net for SJU, recording five saves.
Saint Joseph's (2-11-3, 1-5-1 Atlantic 10) was awarded a free kick in the Duquesne (10-5-1, 5-2-0 Atlantic 10) end early in the first half. The ball ended up on the foot of junior Ian Kane just inside the 18-yard box. Kane's crossing pass found Lewis in front of the net, and he nodded the ball past Dukes' keeper Zach Varga for the game-winner.
As the match wore on, play became more physical as the Dukes tried to tie the game. The Hawk defense held firm, led by senior Sean McLaughlin and freshman Travis Gast. The teams combined for 46 fouls and five cautions in the contest.
The victory came on Senior Day for the Hawks. Eight seniors were honored in a pre-game ceremony for their service to the University both on and off the field. The honorees were seniors Jim Brown, John Creed, Joe Grayauskie, McLaughlin, Dean Niedosik, Chris Powell, Andrew Takats, and Matt Wurst.
Matt Tompkins Named Player of the Week After His Two-Goal Performance
Philadelphia, Pa. – After his two-goal performance in the Rams’ 3-2 victory at Howard, Philadelphia University’s Matt Tompkins has been named the Philadelphia Soccer Seven’s Player of the Week for the week ending on Oct. 15. Tompkins opened scoring for the Rams by bending in a corner kick in the 13th minute. He scored again to put them on top 2-1 in the 53rd minute off a feed from Luca Zucal. Tompkins currently leads the Soccer Seven in goals (7) and points (19). This is the second Player of the Week award for Tompkins, who was a co-Player of the Week on Sept. 11 when he shared the honor with Drexel’s Fabio Assumpção. The Rams’ victory evened their record at 6-6-1 which is the second-best overall record among Soccer Seven teams.
Earning a place on the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week are Drexel freshman Fabio Assumpção and the defending Player of the Week, Penn’s Kevin Unger. Assumpção scored an acrobatic bicycle-kick goal in the 15th minute of Drexel’s 1-0 victory over Georgia State on Friday. All four of the freshman’s tallies this season have been game-winners. Unger scored Penn’s lone goal against Dartmouth this week, it was his second in the last two matches. The sophomore knocked in the equalizer for the Quakers against Dartmouth, in a match the Big Green eventually won. The tally was Unger’s third goal of the season.
Assumpcao's Acrobatic Goal Lifts Dragons Over Georgia State
Philadelphia, Pa. - Freshman Fabio Assumpção (Alves, Brazil/Colegio Batista Brasiliero) wowed the crowd at Vidas Field by scoring on a bicycle kick in the 15th minute against Georgia State (1-12, 1-6 CAA) and sophomore keeper Cory Robertson (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon) made a series of stellar saves in goal to preserve a 1-0 CAA victory for the Dragons (6-7, 2-5 CAA).
In a wide open match that maintained a frenetic pace for the majority of its 90 minutes, both teams had an abundace of quality scoring opportunities. Drexel was the first to capitalize on its chances.
Senior Dominick Balsamo (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) collected an early ball at the top of the penalty box, carried it in and blasted a shot that glanced off the right goal post. The Dragons packed the box and scrambled to keep the ball in play, putting it up for grabs in three consecutive headers right in front of the goal. The third headed ball came from freshman Anthony Bafile (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) who positioned himself at the far post. Bafile knocked the ball toward the middle of the goal where it bounced once before Assumpção launched himself into the air, turned upside down and connected with his right foot, sending the ball curving into the right side of the net and the crowd assembled at Vidas Field into a frenzy.
There was no let down from the Dragons after that point. Smelling blood the team launched a series of serves into the box and raced the Panthers' defenders to them. Balsamo nearly netted a second goal for the Dragons in the 22nd minute when he found himself wide open on a break-away. With two other Dragons sprinting down the right side of the field for support, Balsamo carried the ball in to the penalty box for a one-on-one confrontation with Georgia State goalie Filipe Carvalho. Balsamo tried to deke out the diving keeper but Carvalho proved equal to the challenge, smothering the ball on Balsamo's foot to quell the threat.
The speedy pace of the game seemed to suit Georgia State just as well. The Panthers had an opportunity to score midway through the second period when Dathan Knott found some room in the box on the right side and broke away from a pack of Drexel defenders. Knott tried to knock the ball past Robertson on the far side, but the sophomore used the entirety of his 6-foot-1-inch frame to reach for, and deflect the ball out of the box.
Minutes later Robertson would be challenged with a point-blank shot from about 10 yards in front of the goal. Floreal Pedrazo Pedigones and Alberto Villarreal worked a give-and-go at the top of the box, using precise passing to penetrate the Drexel defense. Villarreal blasted the shot at the middle of the goal, but Robertson read the play and positioned himself to make the reactionary save.
In the final 10 minutes of play Knott would terrorize the Dragons' defense once more. This time he collected an attempted clear that leaked out to the right side of the penalty box. As the ball rolled out of a scrum of Dragons and Panthers, Knott found enough daylight for a shot on the right side. But Robertson was there again to make the save and help the Dragons hold on for their second conference win.
Robertson finished the match with six saves in collecting his fourth shutout of the season. Carvalho made a half a dozen saves as well for the Panthers. Drexel edged Georgia State in shots 15-12 and both teams earned four corner kicks. Assumpção's goal was the fourth of his young career, every one has been a game winner.
Penn's Unger Garners Player of the Week Honors
Philadelphia, Pa. – Penn sophomore forward Kevin Unger (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Marquette) is this week’s Philadelphia Soccer Seven Player of the Week. During the week ending on Oct. 8, Unger came up big for the Quakers, scoring the golden goal in a double-overtime victory against Columbia on Saturday, Oct. 7. The sophomore helped to preserve Penn’s undefeated mark in Ivy League play when he struck a kick from the right side of the goal that found the upper left corner in the 108th minute sending the crowd at Rhodes Field into a frenzy. Penn is currently perched atop the Soccer Seven standings with a 7-2-1 record.
Philadelphia’s Anders Novesky (Cornwall, N.Y./Cornwall) and Temple’s James Suevo (Philadelphia, Pa./Calvary Christian Academy) made the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week. Novesky scored the go-ahead goal in the Rams’ 3-2 victory over New Jersey Institute of Technology on Saturday. He also assisted on the match-winner, scored by Matt Tompkins. In just eight matches this season, Novesky has tallied one goal and distributed three assists for the Rams. He is the second-leading scorer on the team behind the Soccer Seven’s top point man, Tompkins. Suevo scored the second of two Temple goals that came within one minute of each other in a 2-1 victory over Saint Joseph’s. The sophomore connected on a header off a corner kick served up by T.J. Noone in the 17th minute. The goal put Temple ahead 2-0 and proved to be the decisive goal after the Hawks tallied in the 59th minute. The victory snapped a nine-match winless streak for the Owls.
Penn Defeats Columbia in Double-Overtime To Preserve Perfect Conference Record
Philadelphia, Pa. - Sophomore Kevin Unger scored the match-winner at 107:21 to keep the University of Pennsylvania undefeated in Ivy League action with a 1-0 decision over Columbia Saturday night at Rhodes Field. Penn improved to 7-2-1 (3-0-0 Ivy League) while Columbia remained winless in the League (0-2-1) and 5-5-1 overall.
Penn found its footing after halftime, outshooting the Lions 6-3 in the second half and then 5-0 in the overtime periods. Sophomore Omid Shokoufandeh fired five shots and nearly buried two, but Columbia’s Alex Maffeo provided solid goalkeeping through nearly two overtimes.
Shokoufandeh helped set up the match-winner with the clock winding down in the final overtime. His cross into the box found Ryan Tracy who pitched it to Unger on the wide right. Unger struck the ball, and all of Rhodes Field held its breath to see if he could catch the far corner of the net. He did, and the crowd erupted in cheers as Penn stormed the field.
For the Quakers, senior captain Daniel Cepero gathered four saves in his school-record 20th career shutout and fifth of the season.
Two Quick First-Half Scores Lift Temple over Saint Joseph's, 2-1
Ambler, Pa. - The Temple men's soccer team earned its first Atlantic 10 Conference victory Saturday afternoon, beating city-rival Saint Joseph's, 2-1. The Owls jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first 17 minutes and were able to fend off the Hawks for the remainder of the contest. Temple improves to 2-8-1 (1-2-0) with the win, while Saint Joseph's falls to 1-9-1 (0-3-0).
Both teams had chances to score early in the first half. Senior Ryan Heins barely missed giving Temple the lead when his shot off a loose ball in the sixth minute was just wide of the net. Moments later, Owl sophomore goalkeeper Bryant Hosler made a nice play when he broke up a cross from Cliff Jones.
Freshman Mike Puppolo got Temple on the board in the 15th minute when he blasted a shot past Saint Joseph's goalkeeper Brian Benedict. Senior Matt Maher, who had missed the previous two games with a hamstring injury, sent a long pass to Heins, who found Puppolo in front of the Hawk goal.
The Owls, who have struggled mightily on offense this season, wasted no time adding to their lead. Just one minute later, sophomore defender James Suevo scored Temple's second goal when his header off freshman J.T. Noone's corner kick found the back of the net. Suevo's spectacular shot gave the Owls a 2-0 lead over a stunned Saint Joseph's squad.
Suddenly facing a two-goal deficit and with the Owls dictating the tempo, the Hawks faced an uphill battle. Saint Joseph's was able to push the ball up the field, but thanks to solid defensive play by Suevo and freshman Brant Hovington, Temple went into halftime with its shutout still intact.
The Hawks threatened early in the second half. Temple freshman Martin Dell'Arciprete made a nice play to knock away a cross, and Hosler made an acrobatic save on Dean Niedosik's header in the 59th minute. The Hawks finally cut into Temple's lead in the 68th minute when Jim Brown connected with Tom Johnson, who hit it home from 10 yards out.
Saint Joseph's had chances to even the score, but Hosler made two highlight-reel saves seconds apart to preserve the win for the Owls.
For the game, Hosler made three saves while Benedict made six for the Hawks.
Villanova's Del Guercio Named Player of the Week After Leading the 'Cats To Two Victories
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Soccer Seven has named Villanova junior Mike Del Guercio (Chatham, N.J./Delbarton School) its Player of the Week for the week ending on Oct. 1. Del Guercio scored a pair of goals for the Wildcats, including the game-winner in Villanova’s 2-1 overtime victory at DePaul. Del Guercio drove home a one-timer off a free kick by Dan DeMasters in the 97th minute. Against Rutgers, Del Guercio knocked home a rebound off a shot by Matt Sleece in the 50th minute to put the Wildcats on top 2-0. The lead held up for a 2-1 victory over the Scarlet Knights for the team’s second conference win of the season.
Philadelphia’s Matt Tompkins (Bend, Ore./San Jacinto JC), Penn’s Dan Cepero (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin), La Salle’s Jeremy Ortiz (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) and Drexel’s Pat McCaffery (Langhorne, Pa./La Salle College High) round out the Honor Roll this week. Tompkins, a former Player of the Week, scored two goals and assisted on a third in the Rams’ 3-0 rout of Longwood. Tompkins currently leads the Soccer Seven in goals, assists and points. Cepero recorded his 19th career shutout with a pair of saves against Cornell. Cepero has played every minute for the Quakers this season, and his shutout this week put the team atop the Ivy League standings. McCaffery scored the Dragons’ lone goal in a 1-0 shutout of conference foe Virginia Commonwealth on Sunday. Ortiz scored a goal and distributed three assists in two matches this week. In the Explorers’ 5-0 domination of UMass, Ortiz scored a goal and dished out two assists. In front of a regional television audience on CN8, McCaffery struck the game-winning penalty kick in the 12th minute of play. He also led Drexel’s defense which allowed just one shot on goal in the team’s third shutout of the season.
McCaffery's Penalty Kick Gives Drexel Its First Win in Conference Play
Philadelphia, Pa. - In the 12th mintue of play freshman Anthony Bafile drew a foul inside the penalty box and sophomore Pat McCaffery successfully deposited the resulting penalty kick to give Drexel (5-5, 1-3 CAA) its first conference win of the season and first victory ever over Virginia Commonwealth (4-7-0, 2-2 CAA). A regional television audience saw the Dragons hold off the Rams on CN8.
While the first half of the match was played at a frenetic pace, the defense of both squads played well enough to preven the opposition from getting a shot on goal in the first half. McCaffery was able to capitalize on a penalty kick earned by Bafile when the freshman made a quick turn in the 18-yard box and carried the ball toward the goal on the right side. A host of Virginia
Commonwealth defenders converged on Bafile to take him down for the foul.
Drexel held a slight 3-1 edge in shots at the end of the first half, but neither team generated another viable scoring opportunity. The Dragons maintained their defensive intensity in the second half and they would need all of it to hold off the attacking Rams.
In the 54th minute Virginia Commonwealth served a high bounding ball toward the top of the 18-yard box. Drexel keeper Cory Robertson charged out to challenge for the ball on front line. Robertson went up for a header against the Rams' Pat Viray and elevated just enough over the attacker to break up the play.
Senior defender Kwesi Klass showed his speed and composure in the 56th minute when Mattijs Maruanaya crossed the ball to Owusu Sekyere in the box. Sekyere dribbled the ball about three yards in front of the goal, but Klass sprinted over to divest him of the ball and clear it in one quick movement.
Robertson earned his third shutout of the season with a difficult save in the 66th minute. Virgina Commonwealth set up a corner kick which was served by Thomas Weingartner. Gerson Dos Santos went up for the header near the middle of the goal box and knodded it down toward the left side. Robertson dove to the ground and got a hand on the ball to keep it out of the goal. McCaffery promptly blasted it out of the box to end the threat.
Virginia Commonwealth would go on to out-corner Drexel 4-2 in the half and edge the Dragons 7-6 in shots in the contest. But the Dragons strung together some quality offensive build ups to maintain posession and prevent the Rams from finding their offensive rhythm. Andrew Dykstra made one save in the net for Virginia Commonwealth, on a blast by Dominick Balsamo near the end of the second half.
The win squares Drexel's record at 5-5 and marks the first time in five meetings that the Dragons have beaten the Rams. Virginia Commonwealth had been ranked as high as 19th in the nation by Soccer America polls this season.
Penn Edges Cornell, 1-0, In Ithaca
The University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team defeated Cornell, 1-0, Saturday night in Ithaca, N.Y. Sophomore Andrew Ferry scored for the Quakers who improved to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in Ivy League action. The Big Red fell to 1-4-3 (0-1-1 Ivy). It marked the fifth straight game in the series in which the visiting team came away with the victory.
Penn scored early in the second half as Ferry dodged the Cornell defender and beat him to the ball, finishing it in the lower right corner. Sophomore John Elicker orchestrated the play, sending a ball down the right side to junior Derek Hobson. Hobson struck a high cross into the center of the box for Ferry to take home at 57:18.
The Quakers were outshot 6-4 in the first period, but doubled their output while holding the Big Red to four in the second.
Senior captain and goalkeeper Daniel Cepero and the defense stonewalled Cornell in the fourth shutout of the season. Cepero made two saves in his 19th career shutout. Cornell keeper Luca Cerretani also made two saves but was assessed the loss.
Del Guercio Tallies Again To Give 'Cats Second Straight Conference Victory
Chicago, Ill. - Junior Mike Del Guercio notched his second goal in as many games in the 97th minute to lift Villanova (6-6-1) to a 2-1 victory in overtime on Saturday afternoon at DePaul (3-8-2). The Wildcats overcame a 1-0 deficit at halftime to tie the game in the second half before going on to win its second straight conference game.
The host Blue Demons opened the scoring at 15:27 when Erich Reichmann scored on a free kick from just outside the box. His shot bounced off the right post and went into the net for his first goal of the season. Villanova junior goalkeeper Jason Friel made three of his four saves in the first half to keep DePaul at bay for the remainder of the period.
The Wildcats were outshot 16-10 for the game, including 10-5 in the second period, but scored the equalizer in the 65th minute to knot the score at 1-1. Junior Farris Fakhoury (Parlin, N.J.) scored his third goal of the season on a rebound in front of the goal at 64:56. Classmate Jon Wells was credited with an assist on the play.
Villanova played its third overtime game of the season and picked up its second win in extra time with Del Guercio's game-winner. His one-timer off a free kick was the only shot in the one overtime period and went to the lower right corner for his third goal of the season. Del Guercio also scored the game-winning goal on Wednesday as the Wildcats edged Rutgers 2-1 at the West Campus Soccer Complex.
DePaul generated eight of its nine corner kicks in the game during the second half, when it fired 10 shots towards the Villanova goal. However, Friel saved the only Blue Demon shot on goal in the period and the teams advanced to overtime.
Del Guercio, Seamon Lead Villanova Over Big East Foe Rutgers
Villanova, Pa. - Villanova (5-6-1) built a 2-0 lead early in the second half and then held off a late charge to post a 2-1 victory over Rutgers (4-6-0) for the Wildcats' first Big East win of the season.
The game was marked by several booming shots, a handful of brilliant saves and tight play throughout.
The Wildcats broke into the scoring column at 22:02 off a set piece. After Rutgers was whistled for a foul 27 yards from the Scarlet Knight net, sophomore Joe Taylor lofted a ball inside the box to freshman Victor Faustino who then headed the ball towards the goal. A Rutgers defender got a piece of the ball but it caromed to Villanova freshman Mike Seamon (Rahway, N.J.), who headed the ball towards the net. Scarlet Knight goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel caught the shot but was ruled to have been past the goal line and Villanova had its first lead in BIG EAST play since Sept. 10 at Connecticut.
Despite 13 shots from Rutgers, Villanova maintained the 1-0 edge at intermission.
At 49:22, the Wildcats capitalized after another Rutgers foul. Junior Matt Sleece sent a low blast from 22 yards out that Van Oekel stopped with his body. However, the force of the shot was such that the Scarlet Knight goalkeeper could not control the rebound and it bounced on to the foot of junior Mike Del Guercio, who picked up the loose ball and deposited a shot into the net to give the `Cats a 2-0 advantage.
Rutgers kept pressing and got on the board at 63:03 when Alieu Terry made a nice play along the goal line, dribbling and drawing the defense to him. He then fed a cross to Nick LaBrocca, who calmly lofted a shot into the net to close the gap to 2-1.
Both teams generated chances in the final 25 minutes. Villanova goalie Jason Friel managed to get his hand on a laser off the foot of Ryan Breznitsky that deflected off the crossbar and over the net in Rutgers' best opportunity while Taylor and Del Guercio had good chances for the `Cats. But neither team scored again resulting in the 2-1 final.
Klein Earns Second Straight Player of the Week Honor
The Philadelphia Soccer Seven has named Penn sophomore Mike Klein (Brookfield, Wis./Marquette High) its Player of the Week for the week ending on Sept. 24. Klein, who was a co-Player of the Week last week, scored a goal and registered three assists on the week. The sophomore knocked in the go-ahead goal in Penn’s 3-1 victory over Ivy League foe Harvard. He also assisted on the Quakers’ third goal of the match. In Penn’s 3-2 loss to La Salle in the Soccer Seven finale, Klein recorded assists on both goals. Klein currently leads the Soccer Seven in assists, points and points-per-game average.
Travis Gast (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) and Dan DeMasters (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township) head up the Honor Roll this week. Gast recorded his first collegiate points when he assisted on the Hawks’ first goal of the match. The freshman then scored a goal of his own to knot the contest at 2-2 in the 64th minute. The Hawks' victory ended a 13-match losing streak that dated back to Oct. 18, 2005. DeMasters culminated his return to the pitch after off-season surgery by scoring one goal and assisting on another in Villanova’s 2-0 shutout of Delaware. The sophomore’s score was his first tally for the Wildcats since their 2004 Big East Tournament match against Georgetown.
Saint Joseph's Snaps 13-match Losing Streak With 3-2 Win over La Salle
Philadelphia, Pa. - Saint Joseph's earned its first victory of the 2006 season in gritty fashion Saturday night, topping the La Salle Explorers, 3-2, on Finnesey Field. Senior Dean Niedosik scored in the 68th minute put the Hawks ahead to stay, as Saint Joseph's weathered the Explorers' attack over the final 20 minutes to secure the win, their first in 13 games dating back to 2005.
La Salle (4-4-1) tallied two goals in a span of three minutes in the first half to take a 2-0 lead. Taylor Young and Jeff Spiker scored unassisted goals for the Explorers in the 30th and 33rd minute, respectively. The Hawks (1-6-1) got on the board just before halftime as senior captain Joe Grayauskie sent a shot towards the La Salle net off of an indirect kick. The high arcing shot came down just inside the crossbar and out of the reach of goalkeeper Dan Pfeiffer to cut the lead to 2-1 at the break.
In the second half, Saint Joseph's caught a break in the 65th minute as freshman Travis Gast launched a shot from midfield that caught Pfeiffer too far out of his net to recover in time. Gast also assisted on Grayauskie's goal to earn his first three points of the season. Less than three minutes later, the Hawks were awarded a free kick just outside of the La Salle 18-yard box. Four SJU players huddled around the ball in an attempt to keep the Explorers guessing as to who would take the kick. Finally, freshman Jason Lewis tapped the ball to Niedosik, whose low driving shot beat Pfeiffer to the left side.
La Salle Tops Penn, 3-2, To Close Out Soccer Seven Play
Philadelphia, Pa. — Penn led 2-1 at the half, but was unable to hang onto the lead as the Quakers fell to La Salle, 3-2 Wednesday night. Penn’s four-match winning streak was snapped and its record dropped to 4-2. The Explorers improved to 4-3-1.
In the 25th minute, senior Ryan Tracy got the Quakers on the board with a goal to the far corner. Sophomore Mike Klein and Alex Grendi were credited with assists. Less than seven minutes later, senior Andy Howard scored with a header off a corner kick served by Klein to give the Quakers a 2-0 advantage.
The lead was narrowed just three minutes later when La Salle's Kevin Lydic notched a goal at 35:12.
The Explorers put the tying goal away after halftime in the 67th minute to tie the match. Jeremy Ortiz scored in the 80th minute to clinch the win and halt the Quakers.
Penn senior goalkeeper Daniel Cepero made three saves while La Salle's sophomore Dan Pfeiffer made two saves.
Quakers’ Mike Klein and Hawks’ Bryan Benedict
Named Soccer Seven co-Players of the Week
Penn sophomore Mike Klein (Brookfield, Wis./Marquette High) and Saint Joseph’s sophomore keeper Bryan Benedict (Anandale, Va./Bishop O’Connell) have been named co-Players of the Week by the Philadelphia Soccer Seven. During the week ending on Sept. 17, Klein scored two goals, including the match-winner, and assisted on a third tally to help the Quakers win the Penn Soccer Classic for a third straight year. Benedict turned in an outstanding performance in the Hawks’ 1-1 tie with Princeton at the Penn Soccer Classic. The sophomore goalie made nine saves against the Tigers, who outshot Saint Joseph’s 11-3 in the first period, to keep the game close enough for Mike McInaw’s goal in the 85th minute to even the match. Benedict made two saves in the overtime period to preserve the draw.
A pair of goalies highlight the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week. La Salle’s Dan Pfeiffer (Warminster, Pa./William Tennant) has allowed just one goal in his last three matches, including a shutout of Temple in a Soccer Seven match this week. He made five saves in the blanking of the Owls and another three stops in a double-overtime tie with Bucknell. Pfeiffer leads the Soccer Seven in save percentage and goals-against average. Philadelphia sophomore Charles Custer (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) made his first start of the season for Philadelphia and made four saves to pick up his first career win, in shutout fashion, in a 1-0 victory over Drexel. The sophomore made two excellent reaction saves from point-blank range in the second half to preserve a shutout despite the Rams being outshot 10-6 and outcornered 9-1. The victory evened Philadelphia’s 2006 Soccer Seven record at 1-1.
Quakers Dispatch Duquesne, 1-0, to Claim Classic Crown
Philadelphia, Pa. — The University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team claimed its third consecutive Penn Soccer Classic title Sunday at Rhodes Field. The Red and Blue defeated Duquesne 1-0 thanks to an early first-half goal from sophomore Alex Grendi. The Quakers improved to 4-1 and the Dukes dropped to 3-3-1.
The only goal of the mainly defensive contest was scored at 14:07. Taken down just outside the box, Grendi bent his free kick around the wall of defenders and beat Duke goalkeeper Zach Varga on the right side. It was the only shot Penn put on goal.
Senior captain and goalkeeper Daniel Cepero made three saves in his third consecutive shutout.
Saint Joseph's Holds On For a 1-1 Tie With Princeton
Philadelphia, Pa. - Sophomore forward Michael McInaw scored off a corner kick with 5:20 left in regulation and Hawks' goalkeeper Bryan Benedict was a wall between the pipes in overtime as Saint Joseph's men's soccer team earned a 1-1 double-overtime tie with Princeton Sunday afternoon on the final day of the Penn Soccer Classic at Rhodes Field.
After McInaw's goal, each team had good opportunities to win the game in the 20 minutes of overtime. Princeton had a corner kick after Benedict made a diving stop on McHugh's free kick attempt with 4:30 left in the first overtime, and the ball found the feet of Kontos, but Benedict again dove to his right to keep the game tied.
Saint Joseph's had a chance early in the second overtime. Jason Lewis took a long shot that Princeton goalie Justin Oppenheimer punched high into the air, and the Hawks' Patrick Duddy had a chance at a rebound, but the Princeton goalie got to the ball first to stave off the chance.
Princeton dominated first half, outshooting the Hawks 11-3. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute of the game on a Jame Wunsch goal. The play originated with a corner kick toward the far post from Brian Brady, which was redirected back toward the field by Jason Adams. Kyle McHugh then sent a ball across the goal, where Wunsch headed it in past Benedict.
The Hawks outshot Princeton 13-8 in the second half and overtime, including 7-3 in the overtime periods.
La Salle Downs Temple In Explorers' Soccer Seven Opener
Philadelphia, Pa. – La Salle turned in a convincing 3-0 win over Temple to open its 2006 Soccer Seven slate. After a slow half, La Salle would tack on two late goals in the first period before closing the game with a third goal to cap the victory.
The first goal would come courtesty of Jim Davis as he put one in the back of the net off of a pass from junior Joe Heavey.
Taylor Young and Joey Foster would then take the ball up soon after in the 42nd minute and dump it off to Kevin Lydic for another shot that would push the score to 2-0 for the halftime total.
Almost 20 minutes into the second half, Dan Heavey would add a third goal to secure the shutout at 3-0. He received an assist from sophomore midfielder Brian Barry.
Penn Opens Soccer Seven Season with Shutout of Saint Joseph's
Philadelphia, Pa. - The University of Pennsylvania men’s soccer team marked 4-0 victory Friday night against Saint Joseph’s at Rhodes Field in the first day of the Penn Soccer Classic. The Philadelphia Soccer Seven match improved the Quakers to 3-1 and left the Hawks still searching for a win at 0-6.
Sophomore Mike Klein put the Quakers on the board early with a goal at 5:36. Unselfish play by Alex Grendi and Omid Shokoufandeh made the play possible as both had chances at the net, but opted to shuffle the ball across the box and pull sophomore SJU keeper Joe Bodnar out of position.
Klein notched his second goal of the season in the 36th minute after a similar play in the box. Shokoufandeh started the action, serving the ball to senior Ryan Tracy in the box who passed to Klein to finish.
Senior Andy Howard helped seal the first half with a header at 44:35. Klein figured on that goal as well serving a free kick in to the scrum.
After halftime and three saves, the Hawks exchanged Bodnar for sophomore Bryan Benedict in net. Benedict made four saves in the half, but allowed an exclamation mark from Tracy at 86:02. Sophomore Andrew Ferry assisted on the score.
The Penn defense stonewalled any attack Saint Joseph’s attempted, leaving senior captain Daniel Cepero to collected just one save in goal. He also nabbed his 17th career shutout.
Drexel's Assumpcao and Philadelphia's Tompkins Share Player of the Week Honors
Drexel freshman Fabio Assumpção (Alves, Brazil/Colegio Batista Brasileiro) and Philadelphia University’s Matt Tompkins (Bend, Ore./San Jacinto J.C.) have been named the Philadelphia Soccer Seven’s co-Players of the Week for the week ending on Sept. 10. Assumpção scored two game-winning goals for the Dragons this week and assisted on a third as the team went 3-0, including two wins in its defense of the Drexel Invitational Tournament championship. Assumpção currently leads Drexel in goals and points, all three of his tallies this season have been game-winning scores and his lone assist set up a game-winner. The freshman was named the Offensive MVP of the Drexel Invitational Tournament and was also chosen for the All-Tournament Team.
Tompkins, a senior for the Rams, was named the MVP of the Philadelphia Soccer Classic as he posted a goal and two assists to lead Philadelphia to the championship. Tompkins leads Philadelphia in assists and points. He assisted on both Rams’ goals in a 2-1 win over Manhattan and scored Philadelphia’ first goal in a 3-1 victory over previously undefeated Mount St. Mary’s.
Penn’s senior keeper Dan Cepero (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) headlines the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week. Cepero allowed just one goal in Penn’s two victories this week, to help the Quakers win Hartwick’s Mayor’s Cup Tournament. Cepero picked up his 16th career shutout in Penn’s 4-0 win against Marist, breaking the Quakers’ all-time record for shutouts. He also made seven saves to help Penn knock off the host Hartwick in the opening round. Cepero was named the tournament’s Defensive MVP.
Led by Assumpcao, Dragons Shutout Howard, 1-0, To Retain Drexel Invitational Crown
Philadelphia, Pa. – Freshman phenom Fabio Assumpção staked Drexel to an early lead over Howard (1-1) with a goal from 25 yards out less than five minutes into the final match of the Drexel Invitational Tournament. The Dragons’ defense made the single tally hold up for the duration as Drexel (4-1) defended its tournament crown from last season.
Drexel dominated the offensive end for the majority of the match and outshot Howard 21-5 while working to earn 10 corner kicks to the Bison’s four. Cory Robertson made three saves, including one from point-blank range in the final two minutes, to preserve his second shutout of the season.
Assumpção earned the tournament’s Offensive MVP honor, marking the second consecutive year that a Dragon freshman has won the award. Howard’s Marcel Storer was named the tournament’s Defensive MVP. Storer along with All-Tournament keeper Christopher Taylor helped the Bison hold their opponents to just two goals in the tournament.
Striker Nasheed Sabree also made the All-Tournament Team for Howard along with Assumpção, defender Pat McCaffery and midfielder Anthony Bafile for Drexel.
Howard was runner up in the tournament followed by La Salle and UMBC in third and fourth respectively.
Cepero Picks Up Record-Setting Shutout in 4-0 Win Over Marist
Senior captain and goalkeeper Dan Cepero earned his 16th career shutout Sunday giving him the most in Penn history. Stonewalling Marist, the Quakers saw goals from Omid Shokoufandeh, Ryan Tracy and two from Derek Hobson.
La Salle Bounces Back To Blank UMBC at Drexel Invitational
Philadelphia, Pa. – After falling to Howard on Friday in the opening game of the Drexel Invitational Tournament, La Salle capitalized on its scoring chances this time, to shutout UMBC (1-4-1) 2-0. Sophomore keeper Dan Pfeiffer picked up the shutout in his first start of the season for the Explorers (2-3).
The teams played to a scoreless draw in the first 45 minutes as both squads played tentatively to find scoring opportunities.
In the second period La Salle cleaned up its touches at midfield and generated several good serves into its offensive zone. The Explorers finally broke through in the 63rd minute when Brian Barry placed a pass that hit Michael Lehr in full stride on the right side of the penalty box. Lehr let the ball bounce once before volleying it past UMBC’s keeper Steve King for a 1-0 lead.
The goal seemed to deflate the Retrievers as La Salle put two more balls into the box immediately following the goal and connected for another score just over a minute after the first tally. Jeremy Ortiz and Walter McMahon worked a give-and-go play at the top of the penalty box and Ortiz deposited the ball to give La Salle a 2-0 advantage.
UMBC fought to stay in the game and nearly got on the board with five minutes remaining when Kevin Gnatiko carried the ball near the end line and crossed it in front of the goal. But a diving La Salle defender reached the ball at the same time as the UMBC attacker to stave off the would-be score.
Pfeiffer made five saves for his first shutout of the season. King stopped six for the Retrievers.
Dragons Pull Out Short Handed Victory Over UMBC in Drexel Invitational Tournament
Philadelphia, Pa. – In the nightcap of the Drexel Invitational Tournament the Dragons came from behind to defeat the University of Maryland – Baltimore County, 2-1, while playing down a player for the final 28 minutes of the match. Freshman Anthony Bafile (West Chester, Pa./Parkland) scored the game-winning goal for Drexel (3-1) in the 84th minute of a set piece serve from fellow frosh Fabio Assumpção.
The game took on a physical nature from the opening kick. UMBC (1-3-1) used its height at midfield to dominate all aerial challenges in the first 45 minutes. But Drexel battled throughout the match to get in position and win possession of the ball. The Dragons outshot the Retrievers 5-3 in the first stanza but neither team had a goal to show for their efforts by halftime.
In an attempt to curtail the rapidly escalating, emotionally charged physicality of the match, the referee handed out four cards in the second half. The second and third of the bookings went to Drexel senior Kwesi Klass (Mississauga, Ontario) whose soft red in the 63rd minute left the Dragons playing down a man for the majority of the second half.
UMBC capitalized on the advantage just a minute and a half later when Kevin Gnatiko carried the ball into the penalty box and blasted a curving shot through the Drexel defense and the hands of keeper Cory Robertson for a 1-0 UMBC lead.
With Klass out of the game, the young Drexel team on the field was comprised of all underclassmen. But the squad showed its mettle by staying in the game and staying aggressive enough on offense to mount a comeback. Sophomore Mike Crosse scored his second goal in as many games when he connected on a set piece served by Robertson from just beyond midfield at the sideline. Sophomore Greg Ermold elevated to head the ball which UMBC keeper Steve King couldn’t handle. As it rebounded off King’s hands, Crosse leapt and kicked the ball behind King and into the net to square the match at 1-1 in the 72nd minute.
The game-winning goal was scored in a similar manner when Assumpção wove his way through traffic and drew a foul about 10 yards outside of the penalty box. The freshman midfielder lofted the ball toward the goal where Bryan Ruff jumped to chest it across the face of the goal. Bafile scurried in from the right side and deposited the ball for the go-ahead tally in the 83rd minute.
The Dragons held off a flurry of UMBC serves into the goal area in the final seven minutes of the match. Pat McCaffery, who anchored the defense in Klass’s stead, delivered the coup-de-grace when he cleared the ball the length of the field as the final 10 second ticked off the clock, signaling Drexel’s improbably shorthanded win. The match was UMBC Head Coach Pete Caringi’s 500th in a legendary coaching career.
Freshman Assumpcao Leads Drexel Overtime Victory Against Siena
Philadelphia, Pa. – Freshman Fabio Assumpção (Alves, Brazil/Colegio Batista Brasileiro) put on a display of footwork and ball handling ability through the first 90 minutes of Drexel’s nighttime match against Siena (0-2). But it was his determination in the first overtime period that gave Drexel (2-1) its second win of the season.
The midfielder took a ball from the sideline near midfield, found some space and sprinted to the top of the penalty box. Carrying the ball at his foot, Assumpção was taken down by a Siena defender just inside the penalty arc. On the reset Assumpção struck the ball high over the right side of the box with a great deal of side spin. The ball curved to the left and landed in the top corner of the goal past the diving keeper to give Drexel a 2-1 victory in overtime.
The goal was the freshman’s second on the season and his second game-winning goal in as many matches. After dominating the scoring opportunities in the first half but never connecting for a tally, Drexel finally got on the board in the 86th minute when Dominick Balsamo hit sophomore Mike Crosse in full stride. Crosse carried the ball toward the penalty box and evaded a defender just outside. Siena’s goalie Patrick Henry charged out to cut off the run but Crosse lifted the ball, which deflected off the defender, and to chip it over Henry to give Drexel a 1-0 lead. Balsamo’s assist was the 12th of his career, moving him into a tie with William Grady for 11th place on Drexel’s all-time list.
Trailing with less than five minutes to play, Siena pulled out all the stops by loading its offensive zone. Drexel held off the barrage for nearly four minutes. But the Saints drew a foul on a head ball just outside the penalty box. On the reset, Jason Laffin rolled the ball to the right where Anthony Tagliaferri struck it past Drexel’s wall. Drexel keeper Cory Robertson dove to block the shot, but the ball rebounded right to Siena’s Liam Welsh who knocked it in to tie the game with less than a minute remaining.
Drexel outshot Siena 14-6 in the game and earned six corner kicks without yielding one to the Saints. Patrick Henry made five saves in goal for Siena while Robertson stopped three for Drexel. For a second straight game, the Dragons recorded a team defensive save. This occurred in the 32nd minute when Robertson charged out and dove to block a shot. The rebound was quickly chipped back into the goal box. But sophomore Pat McCaffery (Langhorne, Pa./La Salle College) sprinted in and dove to make a sideways volley, clearing the ball just before it crossed the plane of the goal.
Villanova Keeper Jason Friel Named Soccer Seven's First Player of the Week for 2006
Villanova’s junior goalkeeper Jason Friel (Dublin, Pa./Pennridge) has been named the Philadelphia Soccer Seven’s first Player of the Week for the 2006 season. Friel stopped a career-high 13 shots to preserve a shutout tie against Rhode Island on Sept. 1. He did not allow a goal in more than 60 minutes in the net in the Wildcats’ 2-1 overtime against Saint Joseph’s in Soccer Seven Play. Friel leads the Soccer Seven in saves with 30 and save percentage at just over 88 percent on the season.
Temple’s Mike Minai (Fairfax, Va./Fairfax) heads up the Soccer Seven Honor Roll this week. The junior forward assisted on the Owl’s game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia in Soccer Seven Play. He also scored Temple’s first goal in a 2-2 draw with the host Runnin’ Rebels at the UNLV Adidas Invitational on Sept. 1. Also making the Honor Roll this week is Drexel sophomore keeper Cory Robertson (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon) who posted his first shutout of the season, and second in his career, at St. Francis (Pa.) on Friday, Sept. 1. Robertson made several difficult saves in the net and helped the Dragons weather a barrage of Red Flash shots in the second half to preserve a 1-0 victory.
La Salle Blanks George Mason For First Win
Philadelphia, Pa. - La Salle jumped out to a lead in the first half and held on for a 2-0 victory over George Mason, the Explorers' first win of the season.
La Salle's first goal came with just under two minutes left on the clock. After a serve by sophomore Dan Heavey through the Patriots' defense, Jeff Spiker found an opening just inside the goalpost and tapped it in to make the score 1-0 La Salle.
The Explorers' second goal came in the 81st minute of play, off a pass from Kevin Lydic, freshman Taylor Young dribbled up to the net, lost his feet, and managed to slide kick the ball into the goal as he fell to the ground. La Salle would hold on for the win.
Temple Draws With Host at UNLV Adidas Invitational Tournament
Las Vegas, Nev. - The Owls held their own against the host Rebels at the UNLV Adidas Invitational, playing to a 2-2 tie. UNLV opened the scoring in the 11th minute when senior forward Martin Kenny headed home a crossing pass from Nicholas Paterson for his first goal of the season. Junior Mike Minai answered for the Owls six minutes later when he deflected a free kick off the foot of sophomore James Suevo past junior keeper Brett Hafeman (eight saves).
Senior defender Matt Maher scored his second goal of the season in the 51st minute, firing one in from 15 yards out. The Owls defense keyed by Maher and sophomore goalkeeper Bryant Hosler (six saves) kept the score 2-1 untl the 78th minute when Paterson took a pass from Ben Haugland and drilled it home from 12 yards out.
UNLV had two shots in the first overtime, neither on goal. Freshman Kurt Walsh had the only shot on goal in the second overtime. Temple held a 16-12 advantage in shots for the match and a 6-4 edge in corner kicks.
Drexel Holds off St. Francis (Pa.) For First Victory
Loretto, Pa. – Freshman midfielder Fabio Assumpção (Alves, Brazil/Colegio Batista Brasileiro) found the net for the first time as a Dragon and helped to lift his new team to their first victory of the season, a 1-0 shutout of St. Francis (Pa.).
Assumpção knocked home a rebound from eight yards out in the 53rd minute to put Drexel on top. The win improved the Dragons’ record to 1-1 on the season.
Drexel fended off 13 shots by the Red Flash (1-2) and also turned away five corner kicks. Sophomore keeper Cory Robertson made four difficult saves in goal and was aided by two team saves in his first shutout of the season. St. Francis packed the offensive side of the field after falling behind in the second half and narrowly missed tying the game when Robertson charged out to challenge a Red Flash attacker. With the net open, Brandon Fischer threw himself in front of a driven ball to preserve the Drexel lead which would hold up for the victory.
Drexel won despite being outshot 13-8. Each team earned five corner kick opportunities. The Dragons return to Philadelphia for their home opener against Siena on Sept. 5 at 7:00 p.m. before hosting UMBC, La Salle and Howard in the Drexel Invitational Tournament this coming weekend.
Faustino Lifts 'Nova over Saint Joseph's in Overtime
Philadelphia, Pa. - Victor Faustino scored with 1:17 to play in the first overtime period to lift Villanova to a 2-1 win over Saint Joseph's in Soccer Seven action at Finnesey Field. The Wildcats improve to 3-0 while the Hawks drop to 0-3.
Danny DeMasters set up the winning goal when he dribbled into the box and sent a short cross to Faustino who one-timed it into the lower left corner. DeMasters, still recovering from a pre-season foot injury, was inserted for the first time at the start of the overtime period by head coach Larry Sullivan.
The teams battled through a scoreless first half, with Villanova striking first in the second half. Dan McKenna headed in a ball at 53:24, which was set up by Mike DelGuercio and Adam Brazitis. It was McKenna's second goal of the campaign.
Saint Joseph's tied it up at 72:47 as senior Dean Niedosik scored his team-high second goal of the season, volleying a pass from freshman Matteo Chiappini.
Freshman Joe Bodnar made three saves in goal for SJU while Jason Friel and John Ward shared goalkeeping duties for the Wildcats. Friel made two saves and held the Hawks scoreless before giving way to Ward midway through the second half.
Villanova Tops Richmond, 2-0
Villanova, Pa. - Goals from junior Farris Fakhoury and freshman Victor Faustino along with solid defense propelled Villanova (2-0-0) to a 2-0 non-conference win over the University of Richmond (0-1-1).
Morning rains made the natural grass surface at the Villanova Soccer Complex rather damp but the wet weather held off for the duration of the match. After a tentative first 20 minutes which produced a total of only four shots by both squads - none on net - Villanova broke through in the 23rd minute. Sophomore Joe Taylor (Southampton, Pa.) dribbled through the center of the field and fed a perfect ball to Fakhoury near the top of the box. Fakhoury took one step and tucked a right footed shot along the turf, just inside the far post to give the `Cats a 1-0 edge.
That lead would stand up for the balance of the afternoon.
Richmond forced Villanova junior goalie Jason Friel to make two big second half stops, one on Kyle Richards and another on Anders Walleck. But he was equal to the task and wound up with his first shutout of the season, and eighth of his career.
A goal by Faustino at 72:02 gave Villanova a 2-0 lead. Freshman Mike Seamon pushed the ball through traffic to Faustino, who drilled a shot towards the net that caught a piece of a Spider defender before finding the back of the net.
Rider Edges La Salle, 2-1
Philadelphia, Pa. – The Explorers battled through a rough game this Sunday, losing to Rider in a match that came down to the final minutes. After coming back from a 2-0 deficit with a late goal, La Salle tried to close the gap but ran short on time.
The two teams fought back and forth for nearly an entire half with no score. With 10 minutes left in the first period, Rider University’s Mike Juska took a shot on goal that La Salle goalkeeper Andrew Bernard tried to cover up but could not keep his hands on. Juska then scored off the ensuing deflection. That would be the only score of the first half.
La Salle started off the second half fired up, but those flames would be stifled in the 55th minute by another goal from Mike Juska. The score came off a free kick by Juska from 25 yards out, which then put the Broncs up 2-0. The Explorers were down, but not out. After taking a pass from sophomore Brian Barry, Jeremy Ortiz dribbled through a crowd of Broncs to score a reviving shot with 20 minutes left in the game.
La Salle fought hard and kept the ball downfield for the rest of the second half, but would not find the back of the net again before running out of time, ending the game with a final score of 2-1.
Hawks Drop Second Match at UMBC adidas Soccer Classic
Baltimore, Md. - Navy built and 2-0 lead en route to a 3-1 win over Saint Joseph's at the adidas Soccer Classic hosted by UMBC. The loss drops the Hawks to 0-2 on the season.
For Navy (1-1), senior forward McKenzie Plank scored just 5:10 into the game and freshman linemate Andrew Garcia doubled the advantage, converting Plank's short cross, in the 35th minute.
But SJU sophomore Michael McInaw got a head on a long free kick by classmate Nick Pozzessere and cut the Navy lead in half just 17 seconds after Garcia's strike. It was the first goal of the year for McInaw, who led the Hawks in scoring last season.
The teams battled through an even second half and a pressing Hawk squad was caught on a Navy two-on-one break and junior forward Travis King knocked in Carter Stapleton's pass at 89:10 for the final goal.
Freshman goalkeeper Joe Bodnar made five saves on the day for SJU.
Virginia Tech, ranked 25th, beat UMBC, 3-2, in the second game of the day.
Temple Shuts Out Philadelphia, 2-0 In Soccer
Seven Play
Philadelphia, Pa. – Seniors Chris Shelton and Matt Maher sco |
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