Three-Goal First Half Lifts Men's Soccer Over Dean, 4-0, Wednesday Night

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team dominated at home against Dean College (Dean) Wednesday Night on the USJ Soccer Field in West Hartford, Conn., defeating the Bulldogs 4-0. The Blue Jays utilized a three-goal first half to take home the win. With the result, the Blue Jays move to 3-0-1 overall and 1-0-1 in conference play while the Bulldogs move to 2-2-1 and 0-2-1 in the GNAC.

KEY MOMENTS 

• The game started quiet as the Dean defense kept an organized backline, causing multiple offsides by USJ.
• However, the Blue Jays would break through the back line, as sophomore forward Emmanuel Ofori (East Hartford, Conn.) got on the end of a through ball before being brought down inside the box, drawing a penalty kick at the 18:47 mark.
• Graduate student midfielder Michael Torres (Hartford, Conn.) stepped up to take the spot kick, keeping his cool and calmly sending the keeper the wrong way to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 edge.
• USJ continued to pile on the pressure offensively, as Torres turned provider, finding sophomore midfielder Jason Moleiro (Rocky Hill, Conn.) with a killer through ball. Moleiro would collect and cut onto his left foot, rifling a shot from the corner of the box into the top left corner, increasing the gap to 2-0.
• The Blue Jays quickly increased the lead to 3-0 after Ofori got on the end of an over-the-top ball from graduate student defender Eli Rodriguez (Southington, Conn.), fighting past the Dean defense and outrushing Dean netminder, rolling his shot into the net with 33:34 on the clock.
• The Bulldogs had a chance to get back into the game minutes later after being awarded a penalty kick, but junior goalkeeper El Hadji Anne (Bronx, N.Y.) guessed the right way, diving to his right to make the stop and keep the visitors off the board and preserve a 3-0 USJ lead entering the halftime break.
• Dean tested USJ early in the second half, but Anne made a tremendous save to keep the Bulldogs off the board.
• USJ nearly added a fourth goal as Moleiro timed his run perfectly, but his one-on-one shot was saved by Dean's goalkeeper Alberto Gonzalez Del Rio (Madrid, Spain) at the 54:23 mark.
• The score would remain at 3-0 until the 70:24 mark. Senior midfielder Henry McGarrah V (Hartford, Conn.) streaked down the right flank before cutting inside on the goal line and playing a pass back to Torres, who guided the ball into the net to increase the edge to 4-0.
• Dean would try and get back in the game with an effort at the 84:38 mark, but Anne once again denied the Bulldogs of a goal, securing the clean sheet and a 4-0 USJ victory.

NOTES 

• The brace gives Torres three goals on the season.
• Moleiro netted his second goal of the year while Ofori netted his third.
• Anne made four saves on the night to earn his first shutout as a Blue Jay, moving to 3-0-1 on the year.
• With the result, the Blue Jays extend its winning streak over the Bulldogs to three games, increase its advantage in the all-time series to 3-0.
• USJ has now scored four goals in all three games against Dean in program history.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays remain at home on Saturday, September 16, welcoming Rivier University for a GNAC matchup. Kickoff against the Raiders on the USJ Soccer Field is set for 5:00 p.m.

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