Rockville Centre, N.Y. - The Molloy men's soccer team kicked off East Coast Conference play Saturday afternoon, with a commanding, 7-1, triumph over the Wildcats of Daemen University at John A. Darcy Field. The Lions improve to 3-1-2 overall and 1-0 in ECC play, while the Wildcats move to 0-5-2 overall and 0-1 in league play.
How it Happened
- Molloy got off to a hot start, finding the back of the net in the first 4:10 to take a 1-0 lead. Freshman Mael Pierre Paul found junior Charlie Morgan who tight roped the end line and snuck it past the keeper for the contests first goal.
- Three minutes later after winning a corner, sophomore Jack Veletanga slipped in a pass to Pierre Paul on the right side of the 18-yard box and the freshman blasted it past the goalkeeper to extend the Molloy lead, 2-0.
- Daemen looked to get on the board in the 10th minute. Afonso Abreu lined up a shot that was fired to the far post, but senior goalkeeper Anthony Martinez made a diving save.
- The Lions took a 3-0 lead in the 11th minute. Martinez sent a ball from the goal into the Molloy offensive zone, Pierre Paul tapped it forward to Veletanga who would beat the keeper and finish it off into a wide open net.
- The contest would settle into a possession battle until the 27th minute. Pierre Paul found himself in another great scoring position inside the 18, but Daemen goalkeeper Christopher Vasquez denied the chance.
- The Wildcats got on the board in the 30th minute. An initial shot from Yves Sisse was saved by Martinez before the rebound was put into the back of the net by Afonso Abreu to cut the deficit to two, 3-1.
- The cardinal and white would generate three shots for the remainder of the first half, all coming from junior Sean Lee who would have the three attempts blocked. The contest entered halftime with the home team in front, 3-1.
- It was an overall dominating second half from the home team, maintaining possession for the majority of the first 25 minutes without allowing a shot from the visitors.
- In the 74th minute, Daemen looked to shrink the Molloy lead to one, but a shot from Abreu was sent wide.
- A minute later, sophomore Jason Pereira blasted a free-kick from just outside the 18-yard box past the near side post to reclaim the Lions three-goal lead, 4-1.
- Molloy put the game away in the final eight minutes, totaling three goals. Morgan found the back of the net for his second of the afternoon, graduate student Jack Hynes finished off a pass from sophomore Vincent D'Antona, and freshman Vincent Martinez capped the afternoon with a goal to send the Lions home with a 7-1 victory.
Top Performances
- Pierre Paul collected four points on the back of his first career goal and a career-high two assists.
- Morgan followed with four points, netting two goals.
- Veletange added three points (one goal and one assist).
- Hynes scored his first goal as a Lion.
- Pereira and Martinez picked up their first collegiate goals apiece.
Up Next
Molloy continues East Coast Conference play Wednesday, September 23 with a road contest at St. Thomas Aquinas beginning at 4:00 p.m.
