Rockville Centre, N.Y. – The Molloy men's soccer team opened East Coast Conference play with a 3-0 victory over the Firebirds of the University of Columbia Saturday afternoon. The Lions improve to 3-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while the Firebirds move to 1-3-2 overall and 0-1 in league play.
 
How it Happened

• 4:04 into the contest, UDC generated its first chance with a ball passed to the near side post, but the shot was sent wide.
• The Lions had a chance in the eighth minute. Freshman Charlie Morgan fired a shot on target following a free kick, but the shot was saved, and the subsequent rebound was blown dead following an offside.
• 20 minutes would go by before the next chance when sophomore Steph Maurice had his chance denied by the UDC goalkeeper.
• The Firebirds had its best chance of the afternoon in the 34^th minute. A free kick off the boot of Isaiah Daniel rang off the cross bar to rob them of a goal.
• The Lions took advantage five minutes later. A throw in from senior Nick Leon trickled into the box and found the foot of senior Diogo Ferreira who flicked it into the back of the net, to give Molloy a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
• 11 minutes into the second half, freshman Eduardo de Rosa Sostisso generated two chances in a four-minute span. After his first shot was blocked, his rebound just went high of the crossbar.
• A minute later, Maurice fired a curling shot off the right foot and the curled shot rang off the right post, keeping the contest at 1-0.
• The Firebirds searched for the tying goal in the 61^st minute, when a header was put on goal, but freshman goalkeeper Callum Hunt calmly made the save.
• The cardinal and white tacked on its second goal in the 67^th minute. With a two-on-one opportunity, Maurice crossed his pass into the box, and found senior Sean Salgueiro who beat the goalkeeper to open the lead, 2-0.
• Desperate to get back into the game, UDC generated two chances in the 83^rd and 87^th but Hunt made consecutive saves to keep the clean sheet going.
• With 2:36 remaining, Leon made a steal following a loose ball and broke away from the defense and netted the third goal of the afternoon to seal the victory, 3-0.

Top Performances

• Leon totaled three points, scoring his first goal of the season and dishing out one assist.
• Salgueiro netted his fourth goal of the season.
• Ferreira tallied his first goal of the season.
• In goal, Hunt made four saves to pick up his third victory of the season and his second shutout.

Up Next
Molloy will step out of conference play and travel to play near-by rival Adelphi Tuesday, September 24 at 7:00 p.m.