Buffalo, N.Y. – The fifth-seeded Molloy men's soccer team traveled to Western New York and defeated the Saints of D'Youville University, 2-0, Thursday evening in the first round of the East Coast Conference Championship. With the victory the Lions improve to 7-7-4 on the campaign, while the Saints conclude the season 5-8-4.
 
How it Happened

• Both squads went through a feeling out period in the opening five minutes to settle into the contest.
• In the eighth minute, freshman Callum Hunt sent a ball down the field, found the head of junior Matt Star who flicked it towards goal, and found sophomore Steph Maurice, who tipped it over an outstretched goalkeeper to find the back of the net to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.
• Over the next 23 minutes, the contest turned into a defensive battle as neither team was able to generate a single shot.
• In the 33^rd minute, D'Youville generated its first chance of the evening with a shot that went wide of target.
• The Lions collected back-to-back chances five seconds apart in the 41^st and 42^nd minute. Senior Sean Salgueiro fired a shot that ended up being blocked and freshman Brennan Murphy followed with a shot that just missed target.
• With 2:26 left in the first half, sophomore Wilmer Flores created space to fire a blistering shot that was saved by Saints goalkeeper Matthew Solorio.
• The home team would have one last chance in the first half in the 44^th minute, but the chance would go wide of target to send the contest into halftime with Molloy in front, 1-0.
• Five minutes into the second half, junior Matt Star challenged Solorio looking for an insurance goal, but his attempt was denied.
• In the 58^th minute Maurice looked to add a brace for his evening, but his attempt would be saved, keeping the contest within one goal.
• A minute later, Hunt would be challenged by Omar Daoudi and make his lone save of the contest to keep the Saints off the scoreboard.
• The Lions would find its key insurance goal in the 81^st minute. Salguerio settled down the ball, created space to his right, and fired it into the back of the net putting Molloy ahead, 2-0.
• The cardinal and white would allow two shots for the remainder of the contest, but neither would land on target to secure the victory, 2-0.

Top Performances

• Maurice netted his second goal of the season.
• Salgueiro found the back of the net for the seventh time.
• In goal, Hunt made one save to pick up his sixth shutout. 

Up Next
The fifth seeded Lions earned a berth into the ECC Semifinal and will travel to face the top-seeded Knights of Queens College on Sunday, November 10. Kick-off from Flushing is set for 7:00 p.m.