Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College men's soccer team started the season with a win on Thursday afternoon, claiming a 1-0 victory over the visiting Caldwell University Cougars on Ted Grant Field.
With 38:27 remaining in the first half, graduate midfielder
Alessandro Otte (Suderburg, Germany/Herzog-Ernst-Gymnasium Uelzen/Hochschule Wismar) intercepted a Caldwell pass and got possession of the ball near the Le Moyne bench. Otte maneuvered between two Caldwell defenders before sending a pass on the ground to
Cameron Stuart, who was standing about 20 yards from goal with his back to the net. Stuart immediately laid the ball off to
Michael Sparkes who was moving across the field from left to right. Sparkes sent a one-touch pass into the path of
Dave Bosak (Marcellus, N.Y./Marcellus/Onondaga C.C.), who was sprinting down the right wing. Just as Bosak entered the top corner of the 18-yard box he took his first touch, which was a perfectly weighted pass sent in the air towards the center of the penalty area, intended for Otte, who had continued his run towards goal and found himself wide open in front of the net. With his first touch the graduate student attempted to hit the ball out of the air and redirect it towards goal, however he mishit the ball and it rolled weakly to the goalkeeper.
In the 18
th minute of the match Le Moyne center back
Benedict Klimmek (Kiel, Germany/RBZ am Schützenpark) sent a long pass over the top of the Caldwell defense to
Max Van Duin (Noordwijk, Netherlands/Teylingen College Leeuwenhorst/Free University of Amsterdam) who made a run behind the defense down the center of the pitch. As soon as Van Duin brought the ball down, he was swarmed by two Cougar defenders, and was fouled after making a move to his right.
Jack Goodrich (Kelsall, England/King;s School Chester) took the free kick from about 25 yards from goal and put a low shot on net that was saved by Caldwell goalkeeper Jalen Folsom.
Le Moyne goalkeeper
Josh Mahr (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) recorded two saves during the contest, and both occurred during the first half. For the third time in his career Mahr has recorded a clean sheet against Caldwell University.
The Dolphins nearly broke the 0-0 tie during the 54
th minute. Graduate transfer
Michael Lantry (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill/Syracuse/DePaul) dribbled the ball towards half field up the left sideline and sent a long pass in the air to
Michael Sparkes (Glasgow, Scotland/St. Ninians), who made a run between two defenders towards the Caldwell goal. Sparkes got behind the defense, brought the ball down with his chest, veered slightly to his right and then just as he entered the 18-yard box the sophomore forward volleyed the ball towards the net. The shot was hit hard, chest-high to the right of Folsom, who reacted quickly to make the save and deflected the ball back out onto the field. The saved shot ricocheted right onto
Cameron Stuart's (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley) left foot, who hit the ball one-time with his instep back towards goal, but the shot flew to the left of the goalpost and out of bounds for a goal kick.
Less than five minutes after Stuart's miss the Dolphins earned a throw-in on the left sideline in their attacking third. The ball was thrown to
Terence Crysler-Howard (Toronto, Ontario/Toronto Prep School), who got past a Caldwell defender and dribbled into the Cougars' penalty area. Crysler-Howard hit a quick pass with his right foot on the ground to the center of the 18-yard box where Stuart was standing all by himself. Stuart's first touch was a shot with his left foot that curled beyond the diving Folsom and into the right side of the net to give the 'Phins a 1-0 lead.
Maicol Diaz took a shot for the Cougars during the 69
th minute, but Caldwell was unable to put a shot on goal during the second half and Le Moyne came away with a 1-0 victory to start the 2022 campaign.
The Le Moyne College men's soccer team will play their next regular season match on the road against Jefferson on August 28.
