Box Score The College of Staten Island men's soccer team raced to their third straight win this afternoon, turning aside visiting John Jay College by a 5-1 count at the CSI Soccer Complex as part of CUNYAC play. The Dolphins improved to 4-8-1 overall and 2-1 in the CUNYAC, while the Bloodhounds fell to 2-9-1 and 2-2 respectively.
In a fast-moving and heavily offensive first half, both teams traded chances early before play settled and CSI started to control the flow. The Dolphins took a series of shots, but it wasn't until the 14th minute that the home team registered. CSI Captain
Alfonso Castaneda, back into the lineup after an injury sidelined him in CSI's last game, received a lead pass from
Ali Fares that sprung him into a one-on-one situation with JJC keeper Steven Merino. Castaneda buried the shot into the net, giving CSI a 1-0 edge 14:04 into play.
A persistent JJC attack did pay off, however, when at 22:50, Besian Shala unleashed a line drive rocket from long range that beat CSI keeper
John Gioeli from the left side of the penalty area. With the score tied, 1-1, CSI overturned momentum very quickly. This time after a change in possession,
Thomas Vazquez found an open Castaneda who bulleted a shot from the top of the box into the back of the net just 52 seconds later to give CSI back the lead, 2-1.
The goal seemed to take the steam out of the Bloodhounds, and the Dolphins capitalized by scoring another goal just 4:06 later, this time when Vazquez scored one himself on another Fares feeder. From there, CSI held fast to a 3-1 lead at intermission.
The momentum proved to hold up for the Dolphins, who then proceeded to out-shoot JJC, 16-1, in the second stanza. Castaneda got on the board again this time via an assist, when he fed
Nicholas Bacarella for CSI's fourth goal at 57:07 putting the game seemingly out of reach. With time winding down and CSI in complete control,
Dino Cosovic buried home a rebound that hit off of the crossbar with 6:36 left, to end the game at 5-1 in the Dolphins favor.
CSI out-shot JJC, 27-8 (16-5 on goal) and held an 11-3 edge in corner kicks. In the losing effort, Merino made 10 saves for JJC while Gioeli earned his third straight win between the pipes posting four saves. Castaneda's two goals came on four shots.
CSI is next in action on Saturday. They will travel to face Hunter College at Randall's Island for a 12 Noon CUNYAC date.
