Men's Soccer

No. 5 Molloy, No. 6 District of Columbia Pull Off Upsets in Thursday's ECC Men's Soccer Championship First Round Action

MEN’S SOCCER FIRST ROUND
No. 6 District of Columbia – 3, No. 3 Roberts Wesleyan – 2
Box Score

ROCHESTER, NY – Trailing by two goals early, No. 6 District of Columbia stormed back with three consecutive strikes (35’, 49’, 55’) to upset No. 3 Roberts Wesleyan, 3-2, ECC Men’s Soccer Championship First Round action at Redhawks Field late Thursday afternoon. The Firebirds (6-7-4, 3-4-1 ECC) now advance to face No. 2 Mercy in a semifinal match-up slated for Sunday, November 10 at 1:00 PM.

Roberts Wesleyan (9-7-1, 5-3-0 ECC) went up 2-0 early as All-ECC Second Team forward Myles Palmer scored twice in a span of 76 seconds (7’, 8’), with both scoring plays initiated by All-ECC First Team forward Tamas Nagy.

However, UDC kept attacking with a patient presence as All-ECC Second Team midfielder Ignacio Lopez closed the deficit to one, 2-1, on a free kick opportunity (35’) before, just minutes into the second half (49’), All-ECC Third Team forward Ignacio Pericet equalized on feed from George Shaw. 

In the 55th minute, Lopez put a perfect ball in from the corner, and All-ECC Second Team midfielder Santiago Gordillo Martinez headed home the eventual game-winner. 

UDC rookie goalkeeper Giovanni Llamas stood tall in his first collegiate postseason match; after allowing Palmer’s early pair of goals, Llamas went on to make seven saves in the full 90:00.  

MEN’S SOCCER FIRST ROUND
No. 5 Molloy – 2, No. 4 D’Youville – 0
Box Score

BUFFALO, NY – No. 5 Molloy scored in the opening 10 minutes and final 10 minutes and put forth an outstanding defensive effort to blank No. 4 D’Youville, 2-0, in ECC Men’s Soccer Championship First Round action at Dobson Field on Thursday evening. The Lions (7-7-4, 3-2-3 ECC) now advance to face No. 1 Queens in a semifinal match-up slated for Sunday, November 10 at 7:00 PM.

Molloy forward Steph Maurice got the Lions on the board in the eighth minute, as ECC Rookie of the Year Callum Hunt put the ball up field and midfielder Matt Star found Maurice for his second goal of the year.

The Lions added a security goal in the 81st minute, when Sean Paulo Salgueiro broke free and buried his seventh of the year. 

Hunt and Molloy’s defensive unit allowed just one shot on net and seven total shots on the evening. Notably, 10 of the Lions’ 11 starters played the full 90 minutes.