Men's Soccer | 3/13/2021 4:32:00 PM
UTICA, N.Y. – After 410 days at the helm of the program,
Jack Burgasser secured his first head coaching victory as the St. John Fisher College men's soccer team completed the come back against the Utica College Pioneers at Gaetano Stadium, 2-1. The Cardinals move to 1-0 in their 2021 campaign and 1-0 in the Empire 8, while the Pioneers drop to 0-1 in both categories.
Utica scored their lone goal on their third shot of the game - a ricocheted ball that was headed out of the reach of Fisher keeper, Jadon Schlierf. Down one, the Cardinals were relentless in their quest to even the score. Over the remainder of the first half, Fisher outshot its opponent, 10-6, six of which were on goal.
After the half, Fisher transitioned momentum from its last line of defense into an offensive opportunity. In the 64th minute, Stephen Guidi found Cardinals midfielder, Justin Bonetto, for a shot from the top of the box which rang the back of the Pioneers' cage. The goal was the first of the year for the Cardinals and the fifth of the junior's career. Guidi recorded his first career assist on the play.
Having evened the score, the Cardinals' defense dug its heels in. Three straight shots by Utica were sent away by Schlierf, which kept the road team alive. At its first opportunity, Fisher cleared the field and used consecutive shots by Ishaan Kashyap and Brennan Brown to prepare for the finishing blow.
At the top of the 85thminute, Burgasser subbed in freshman Jackson Bishop, and 20 seconds later, a ball sent from Bishop to Brown proved to be the go-ahead goal for Fisher. The goal was Brown's seventh in his three-year career and the assist was Bishop's first career point.
Freshman keeper Schlierf recorded his first career win in goal for the Cardinals. He notched nine saves in the full 90 minutes of play.
Bonetto led Fisher in shots on the day with five, while Guidi and Brown registered four apiece, and Bishop added two. Cam Webb, Ben Woolingham, Daniel Murray, and Kashyap each shot once.
The Cardinals take to the field next on Wednesday, March 18 at 8 p.m. at the Empire United Soccer Complex in Henrietta, N.Y. when they take on the University of Rochester for a non-conference match.