Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

College of Staten Island Athletics

COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLAND ATHLETICS
MSOC11123_POST
1
Staten Island CSI (4-7-5, 2-3-3)
2
Winner Queens (NY) Queens (9-7-2, 5-3-0)
Staten Island CSI
(4-7-5, 2-3-3)
1
Final
2
Queens (NY) Queens
(9-7-2, 5-3-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Staten Island CSI 1 0 1
Queens (NY) Queens 1 1 2

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

RESILIENT EFFORT ENDS WITH HEARTBREAK IN FINAL SECONDS OF MEN'S SOCCER LOSS TO QUEENS, 2-1

Flushing, NY - The College of Staten Island Men's Soccer Team made their debut in the East Coast Conference Men's Soccer Championship Tournament earlier tonight, and despite a resilient effort which saw them spend most of the match down a man, the Dolphins fell by a final score of 2-1.  The loss ends CSI's season and the victory was the first ECC Tournament win for Queens in program history.

Both teams came out with a great deal of energy in tonight's ECC quarterfinals matchup, and the result was a highly physical game which saw the home team get the better of the scoring chances early.  The Knights put early pressure on the CSI defense and Dolphins goalkeeper Amari Thompson, but they were held without a goal in the early going.  Shortly after Miguel Espinosa registered the first CSI shot in the thirteenth minute, CSI found themselves on the wrong end of controversial a game-changing call.  Alex Morris collided with a Queens attacker, and in an attempt to free his leg from beneath the opposing player, he was issued a red card.  This put the Dolphins down a man for the remainder of the match, and the Knights wasted little time capitalizing.

Less than ten minutes after the red card was issued, Harry Cooke gave Queens the lead, 1-0.  However, the Dolphins immediately responded and were able to draw a foul in the penalty area.  The ensuing penalty kick was put into the back of the net by Espinosa, and the Dolphins evened the score less than 90 seconds after falling behind.  Despite being down a man, the CSI defense held Queens without another shot until the final three minutes of the half.  During those last three minutes, Thompson added two more saves and sent the game to halftime even at one goal per side.

Following the break, the Knights relentlessly challenged Thompson and the CSI defense for 25 straight minutes before the Dolphins attempted a shot.  Despite the constant pressure, the Dolphins kept the game even behind three more saves from Thompson.  Later in the half, CSI generated two scoring chances of their own.  First, Espinosa dribbled through the Queens midfield and found himself with one defender left to beat.  However, the ball slipped off his foot and the Dolphins did not get a shot off.  A few minutes later, a through ball set up Fortune Uzo for a potential scoring chance, but the pass carried him a bit wide of the frame and he was not able to get off a threatening shot.

Six more shots and another save by Thompson followed during the next 20 minutes, but the Knights could not break through.  Finally, a CSI goal kick in the last minute ended up on the foot of Queens forward Andrew Johnson.  He played Leo Pinto through on a run wide of the far post, and Pinto was able to get his shot around Thompson and inside of the opposite for post for the game-winner.  The 2-1 score would go final 55 seconds later, and a tremendous effort from the Dolphins, who played down a man for over 60 minutes, came up just short of sending the game to overtime.

The first appearance for Men's Soccer in the ECC Tournament saw the Dolphins withstand a total of 26 shots and 11 shots on goal in the 2-1 defeat.  Thompson made 9 saves and seven other Dolphins played the full 90 minutes in frigid conditions.  For Espinosa, his goal was his fourth in CSI's last four games and his ninth this season.

Though Men's Soccer graduates two team captains and a five-year senior, the program expects to return the majority of its playoff roster next year.  As has been the case in recent history, the team was also very good at home once again this season, and the program will set it sights on hosting a playoff game in 2024.  The team will also return much of its defense and a goalkeeper that combined to allow more than two goals in just one conference game this season.  Lastly, the program will soon benefit from the next phase of the renovation to Dolphins Soccer Park that is set to include the installation of a newly-designed turf field.

GAME VIDEO:
Print Friendly Version