The College of Staten Island men's soccer team got themselves back in the win column on Wednesday, staying undefeated within the CUNYAC in the process. Today, they put it on the line again as they get set to tackle York College, as we get to the midway point of the conference season. The Cardinals have been involved in some close CUNYAC battles and will be looking to use CSI to get over the hump this afternoon.
CSI VS. YORK COLLEGE AT-A-GLANCE
Matchup: CSI (7-3, 3-0 CUNYAC) vs. York College (1-7-1, 0-2-1 CUNYAC)
Where: CSI Soccer Complex - 2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY
Live Video:
http://www.csidolphins.com/CSISportsNet
Live Stats:
https://csidolphins.com/sidearmstats/msoc/summary
All-Time Series: CSI leads, 29-10-1
Last Meeting: September 20, 2017 - CSI won, 4-0
Players to Watch (CSI): Coming off of a hat-trick against Medgar Evers, sophomore
Bryant Navarro has taken back sole possession of the goal scoring lead, as he has now poured in 11 goals. Right behind him is
Joe Bolella, who has nine goals to go with three assists.
Philip Lefkowitz has been an extraordinary catalyst in the front and on the wing for the Dolphins, leading the way with a career-high eight assists this season to go with five markers. Look for
Breny Salas to have a big impact. Despite just two starts, Salas has four goals and five assists as a primary reserve player, Defensively, CSI has been exceptional in the back this season with
Miguel Morales,
Wilson Quintero and
Erick Conde anchoring the back line. Keeper
Jake Foeldes garnered his first win on Wednesday since the 2016 season. The former CUNYAC Rookie of the Year missed the entire 2017 season due to injury. He will get the start this afternoon.
Players to Watch (YC): York has struggled offensively at times this season, but through nine starts Rohan Burrell has been powerful, spreading out six goals and 19 total shots, both team highs. Only two other Cardinals have scored goals this season, and they are Ivan Brito, who is second on the team with 14 shots and Ayomide Akinde who has a single goal on two shots. Players like Mamadou Balde and Ebrahim Ramos will look to anchor the back and middle and rarely come off of the field in an effort to keep opposing offenses at bay. Johan Bermeo has made all nine starts for York and boasts a .611 save percentage with 44 saves this season.
News & Notes: One of the CUNYAC's oldest rivalries, CSI and York have been meeting since the 1978 season, and CSI has a commanding edge in the series and are currently on an eight-game win streak over the Cardinals dating back to 2010. That span includes four matches here in Staten Island, where CSI has also outscored York in that span, 22-3. Prior to 2010, York had won four in a row over CSI. Overall CSI is 17-3 at home against York, and the Cardinals last win against CSI on Staten Island was way back on October 18, 2008, 2-0. CSI is off to a great start at home this season, as they are 3-0, and have outscored their three home invaders, 15-2. The Dolphins are also on a terrific CUNYAC tear, dating back to last season, CSI is 5-0-1 in their last six CUNYAC regular season games and have given up just two goals in that stretch. This season, CSI is 3-0 in conference play, outscoring their opponents, 19-0. York has had opposite luck. They have been involved in some close games, with four of their nine games decided on by two goals or less. That includes their three CUNYAC matches, where York dropped a tough, 2-1, decision to Brooklyn, tied Hunter College, 1-1, and most recently fell to Lehman College, 2-0. York is also 0-4-1 on the road this season. These teams have shared three common opponents. Both teams defeated Sarah Lawrence College. CSI defeated St. Joseph's Brooklyn and St. Joseph's Long Island while York fell to both of those teams.
