Men’s Soccer Falls Short at Home to USJ

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team used a pair of second half goals to pull away from Mitchell College on Tuesday afternoon, downing the Mariners 3-1 in a GNAC showdown at Alumni Field. The loss drops Mitchell to 2-2-1 in conference play, while the Blue Jays remain undefeated both within the conference and overall.

The Mariners drew first blood against the reigning GNAC champions on a sequence that began when junior Matt Ladd (Griswold, Conn.) passed the ball from the nearside corner to just outside of the USJ penalty box to fellow junior Noslin Antunez (Westbrook, Conn.). Antunez pushed the ball along the end line, before chipping a pass in front of the net, where it bounced off the head of freshman Mcwill Adu Asare (East Hartford, Conn.) and landed at the feet of Nathan Da Cruz (Goiânia, Brazil).

Da Cruz, a freshman, then gained control and got a shot off, but the ball ricocheted off a Blue Jay defender and landed at the feet of Adu Asare, who was able to chip it in for his first goal of the season and collegiate career. The assist by Da Cruz was also the first of his season and his Mariner career.

Mitchell's advantage was short lived, however, as just minutes later USJ converted the equalizer when graduate student Michael Torres booted a shot from near midfield that caught Dylan Kinsella (Waterbury, Conn.) playing too far up in the box, and sailed over the keeper's outstretched arms.

The score remained tied well into the second half, before the Blue Jays finally jumped ahead when Juan Torres fed a through ball to streaking Dane Stephens, who in turn slipped it past a charging Kinsella. USJ was able to tack on an insurance goal in the 84th minute when a deflected shot landed in perfect position for Jason Moleiro, who ripped it into top left corner of the net.

Dylan Kinsella finished with 13 saves during a game in which the Blue Jays displayed a relentless offensive attack. USJ outshot the Mariners 38-9, including a 15-4 edge in shots on goal. Adu Asare finished with a team-best four shots and a pair of shots on goal for Mitchell, who also trailed the Blue Jays 10-3 in corner kick opportunities. Kinsella fell to 0-2-1 in three starts at goalkeeper for Mitchell this season.

USJ keeper El Hadji Anne collected the win, recording three saves against four shots on goal.

The Mariners (2-2-2, 2-2-1 GNAC) are scheduled to return to action on Saturday, September 23rd, when they travel for a GNAC match against Colby-Sawyer College. USJ (5-0-1, 4-0-1 GNAC) play at Albertus Magnus College on Saturday, September 23rd.