Five Players Score in Home-Opener As Men’s Soccer Throttles Hilbert 6-0
Score: Elmira College 6, Hilbert College 0
Records: Elmira (1-2-0), Hilbert (0-2-0)
Location: Campus Field – Elmira, N.Y.
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- A barrage of scoring opportunities, along with a one-sided count in ball possession, helped pave the way for the Elmira College men's soccer team to pick up its first win of the season, 6-0, over visiting Hilbert College.
A total of five players scored this afternoon and six players were credited with at least one point. Headlining the crew was Candor, New York, native Adam Nichols '20, who produced five points on one goal and three assists. Close behind was freshman standout Ryan Wallace '22, who was one tally shy of registering a hat trick, as he found the back of the net twice this afternoon, including today's game-winning goal.
David Rojas '22, Anthony Esce Jr. '22 and Andrew Spitznogle '19 scored one goal apiece, all of which came in the second half, while rookie center back Nicholas Zanger '22 was credited with an assist. Nichols, Wallace, Rojas, Esce Jr. and Spitznogle all scored their first collegiate goals, while Nichols and Zanger earned their first career assists.
In net, Giovanni Garufi '22 received the third start of his young but blossoming career. The Binghamton, New York, native was not forced to make a save during today's contest, but was credited with the first win of his career after shutting out the Hawks during 63:41 of action. Jacob Mattice '21 made his first appearance between the sticks and logged 26:19 in relief duty.
As a team, the Soaring Eagles outshot the Hawks 47-to-0 and placed 19 of those attempts on goal. Elmira was awarded a whopping 17 corner-kick opportunities, while Hilbert had zero.
The game-opening goal, and eventual game-winner, came from the boot of Wallace in just the sixth minute of action. Nichols began the scoring play by intercepting a short goal kick by Hilbert. He then slid a through ball with the outside of his foot to Wallace, who one-timed the shot past a sprawled out Hilbert goalkeeper for the score.
Elmira would total 15 shots in the opening half, but Wallace's strike stood as the only tally of the first 45 minutes, as the Soaring Eagles entered halftime with a 1-0 lead.
Hilbert hoped to keep Elmira's attack quiet in the second half, but EC shifted its game plan in the final 45 minutes to take as many shots as possible. The Purple and Gold racked up 32 shots in the second stanza, which led to five goals in a 20-minute span.
EC's Wallace picked up where he left off in the first half with his second strike of the day in the 49th minute. Similar to his game-opening goal, Nichols was credited with an assist, after beating a defender and centering the ball to Wallace for the one-time finish.
After earning assists on the first two goals of the game, Nichols got into the scoring mix with his first career goal in the 54th minute. A beautiful over-the-top pass from the left sideline by Zanger found Nichols inside the 18-yard box, where he chested the ball down, cut back, and fired a shot on target. Nichols was able to generate enough power that the Hilbert goalie was unable to turn it away, as the ball ricocheted off of his mitts and trickled into the back of the net.
Elmira padded its lead to 4-0 less than four minutes later, as Rojas etched his name into the scorebook with a goal in the 58th minute. Rojas' tally was your classic poacher's goal, as a shot by Nichols caromed off of the post and to the feet of Rojas, who routinely placed the ball into the gaping goal from six yards out.
Esce Jr. made it a 5-0 game in the 66th minute, as EC's high pressure on a Hilbert throw-in resulted in a turnover by the Hawks in their defensive third. The misthrow went directly to Esce Jr., who took one touch, before pummeling the ball under a diving Hilbert keeper from 25 yards out for the score.
Elmira rounded out today's scoring on a goal from Spitznogle in the 68th minute. Following a deflection inside the box, Spitznogle found the ball at his boots just a few feet away from the cage. From there, he rifled the ball off of the hands of Hilbert's goalkeeper for the final score of the game.
In His Own Words…
"Tonight was another step in the right direction," said head coach Kevin Brenner. "I thought our attacking pattern play was excellent in the second half. Credit to the entire team for keeping a clean sheet against a dangerous Hilbert team on the counter attack. Being able to play just about all the players tonight really gave us another chance to look at player combinations as we progress towards E8 play. We now turn attention to Saturday afternoon, as we welcome Ithaca College to the cage."
News and Notes
- Elmira earned its first win of the 2018 season.
- The win was EC's first in a home-opening game since 2013.
- Elmira's 47-shot total is the highest the program has amassed since September 17, 2002, when EC logged 51 against Hilbert.
- The six-goal total is the most since EC scored six against Utica on September 17, 2016.
- The last time EC scored more than six goals dates back to a 10-0 win over Medgar Evans on September 9, 2012.
- Five players scored a goal in today's win, while six players logged at least one point.
- Nichols, Wallace, Rojas, Esce Jr. and Spitznogle all scored their first collegiate goals.
- Nichols and Zanger were credited with their first career assists.
- Garufi earned the first win of his collegiate career.
Up Next
The Elmira men will look to make it two wins in a row, as they welcome the Bombers of Ithaca College to Campus Field on Saturday, September 8, for a non-league matchup. Saturday's bout is slated for 3:00 p.m. and will be the centerpiece of the Elmira College Men's Soccer Alumni Weekend. For additional details on the alumni festivities, please
click here.