Home Wins for Naz and Alfred

Home Wins for Naz and Alfred

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NAZARETH 2, UTICA 0
Nazareth defeated visiting Utica 2-0 in a men's Empire 8 soccer match on Sunday afternoon. Graduate student Ryan Foley scored both of the Golden Flyers' goals in the opening 23 minutes. Freshman Diego Abreu recorded a game-high 12 saves, including nine in the second half, to earn the victory.

With the win, Nazareth improves to 4-10 overall and 2-3 in conference games. With the loss, the Pioneers fall to 4-7-3 overall and 2-3 in Empire 8 games. The victory also allows the Golden Flyers to climb into a tie for fourth place in the Empire 8 standings with St. John Fisher and Utica, who stand at 2-3 in Empire 8 contests, too. The top four teams qualify for the Empire 8 Tournament in November.

Foley scored his first goal after Nazareth was awarded a penalty kick 11:04 into regulation when a Golden Flyer was pulled down in the right side of the Utica penalty area. Foley converted the penalty kick opportunity with a hard shot into the left side of the Pioneers' goal. Just under 12 minutes later, Foley scored again to stretch Nazareth's lead to two goals. Foley started the scoring chance by blocking a Pioneers' clearing attempt roughly 15 yards outside their box. After collecting the loose ball, Foley dribbled into the Utica box and buried a shot inside the left post.

With his two goals Sunday, Foley has a team-high seven goals on the season. He also moves up to second all-time in career scoring with 77 total points on 28 goals and 21 assists. Graeme Tosh, who played for the Golden Flyers from 1982-85, is first with 105 total points. Foley's 28 goals also places him second in career goals with Kevin Burke (1989-92). Tosh is Nazareth's all-time leader in goals scored with 43.

Abreu maintained the Golden Flyers' lead in the second half with several diving saves. In the final 12:06 of regulation, Abreu tallied seven saves to thwart Utica's attempted rally. The Pioneers' Shane Ruffing entered Sunday with nine goals and two assists. Nazareth's defense held him to three shots on goal.

David Abdou made five saves in the loss. In addition to the three shots on goal by Foley, sophomore Alessio DeMichele had two shots on goal and senior James Wheeler and sophomore Lucas Bennett each had one shot on goal.

Utica finished with a 16-13 advantage in total shots with their offensive pressure in the final 15 minutes. Nazareth had a 7-3 advantage in corner kick opportunities.


ALFRED 3, SUNY Canton 1
The AU men's soccer team made it a sweep on the weekend with a victory over the SUNY Canton Kangaroos, 3-1.
 
The Saxons picked up where they left off from the night before taking the momentum from the Kangaroos from the first whistle.  Ivan Capitan-Carro looked to give the Saxons an early lead in the 2nd minute when he broke through the defense and put a hard curling shot on goal, but the ball was deflected out of play leading to a Saxons corner kick. Nicholas Milliman also had an attempt on goal to break the tie when Capitan-Carro created room in the box with a well-placed pass and Milliman sent a scorching shot toward the net, but it was to no avail.
 
However, it was the Kangaroos who got on the board first when Randy Mayer tipped a cross sent in from teammate Nick Escalante into the back of the net to give the Roos the 1-0 lead. 
 
Just over ten minutes later, Brendan Collins brought the Saxons back into the game with a goal when he received the ball in the box and ripped one shot that was deflected back to his feet and he returned the ball just out of reach of the diving keeper, Patrick Anunziatta.  Collins was also able to put two more shots on goal in rapid succession in the 42nd minute, but was unable to create a chance to have two goals on the day.
 
With less than a minute left in the first half the Saxons were able to break the tie off a Miguel Reyes goal.  Reyes received the ball in front of the goal mouth from Collins and volleyed a powerful and convincing shot into the back of the net.  The half ended, 2-1 in favor of the Saxons.
 
The Kangaroos came out of the intermission looking to bring the game back to a tie threatening multiple times.  The most convincing of which was off a Hunter Mowery shot from thirty yards out in the 54th minute that sailed just over the crossbar and freshman keeper Chris Gutierrez breathed a sigh of relief.
 
The Saxons were able to get an insurance goal with just under eight minutes to go whenRichard Lander sent a through ball into the box to sophomore defenseman Oumar Soumahoro who was wide open and wrapped the ball around the goalie.  The game would end with the Saxons on top, 3-1.
 
Gutierrez finished the day with six saves and one goal against.  AU held the advantage in corner kicks 7-2.