The College of Staten Island men’s soccer team netted their first goal of the 2009 season, but ultimately fell to visiting NYU-Polytech, 4-1, in a non-conference affair held at the CSI Soccer Complex earlier this afternoon. CSI fell to 0-4 on the young season, while the Fighting Blue Jays improved to 1-2 overall.
After registering only a total of two shots on goal over the season’s first three games, CSI did respond with a strong first half against the Jays, one that saw both teams evenly matched and earning solid chances. Both goaltenders, however, were up to the task, and a host of scoring opportunities for both squads fell by the wayside in what amounted to a scoreless first half of play.
In what looked like what was going to be a defensive stalemate, the game opened up in the second half. The first golden opportunity came on the Polytech side of the field for the Dolphins, Andriy Sudak earned a through ball and laced a cross from the left side, one that crossed the goal mouth on to the waiting foot of Ramy Hennedy. The freshman, however, launched the ball high over the crossbar, and the Jays thwarted an early second half deficit.
That miscue by the Dolphins seemed to catapult Polytech into gear. On a mad, defensive scramble in front of the CSI goalmouth moments later Nick Michalczewski buried home a goal passed CSI keeper Andrew Brown to give Polytech a 1-0 lead, just eight minutes into the second half.
With CSI pressing for an equalizer, the Jays capitalized off of the counterattack, as a Nick Belesis beautiful through pass found Adam Lakawicz in the left corner of the box, who raced in and buried the second goal just under a minute later. The Jays added another in the 62nd minute, as Jorge Fraga put in a deflection, catching the CSI defense out of position, and giving Polytech a commanding 3-0 lead.
As has been the case with CSI, the Dolphins did not quit. Perseverance finally paid off in the 69th minute. An Andriy Sudak shot was cast aside by Polytech goalie Uriel Moreira but Akwasi Appiah was there to rip home the rebound that ricocheted off of the crossbar and in, netting CSI their first goal after 339 scoreless minutes.
With CSI still pressing at all costs, Polytech again found an odd man rush in the 87th minute, and Michalczewski scored Poly’s last goal to seal the game at 4-1.
In a game that was much closer than the score would indicate, Poly held the edge in shots 20-15, but CSI had more shots on goal, earning a 9-6 advantage. Moriera recorded the win, tallying eight saves. Andrew Brown made two saves in the losing cause. Sudak and Appiah finished with the CSI lead in shots taken, getting two on goal.
CSI will next travel to New Jersey City University to take part in the NJCU Kick-Off Tournament. The team draws FDU-Florham on Saturday at 12 Noon to start play.