NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Albertus Magnus College men's soccer team improved to a perfect 5-0 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) with a 2-1 victory over the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on Wednesday evening. Kelvin Cortez (Meriden, Conn.) netted both goals for the Falcons in a 55-second stretch just before the end of the first half.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Albertus Magnus 2 | Saint Joseph (CT) 1
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (7-1, 5-0 GNAC) | Saint Joseph (CT) (5-2-1, 3-2 GNAC)
BOX SCORE
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams spent a majority of the first half feeling each other out, with just three saves combined between the two teams in the first 45 minutes.
The feeling-out period ended in the 43rd minute when it became the Cortez show. The junior scored his first goal off a turnover by USJ in its defensive zone at the 42:05 mark. After poking the ball away, Denis Blandon (Meriden, Conn.) served a ball across the box that Cortez lifted towards the goalie, where the ball deflected off the keeper's hands and into the back of the net.
Just 55 seconds later, Cortez found paydirt again, this time off of a pass from Arian Bobi (Amity, Conn.). Bobi sent a pass to Cortez on the left side of the field, where he fired a rocket over the goalie and into the top-right corner.
With the lead, the Falcons played a more defensive second half. The Blue Jays came out looking to score, finishing the half with a 10-1 shot advantage. On the front foot, USJ broke the deadlock in the 78th minute. Dane Stephens scored the unassisted goal by sneaking a shot just by Garfield Robinson (West Haven, Conn.) into the bottom left corner.
Stephens' tally served as the visitor's final chance, however, as Robinson made a comfortable save on the team's last shot on goal to secure his seventh win of the season. The junior netminder finished the evening with five saves.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
Albertus: Garfield Robinson (7-1) - 6 Shots on Goal | 1 Goal-Against | 5 Saves
Saint Joseph: Matthew Goebel (4-1-0) - 3 Shots on Goal | 2 Goals-Against | 1 Save
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- The Blue Jays outshot the Falcons by an 18-7 margin.
- Saint Joseph's held the edge in corner kicks, 14-4.
- The Falcons tallied 10 fouls to the Blue Jays' nine.
- Albertus totaled five saves to Saint Joseph's three.
NOTEWORTHY
- This is the fourth all-time meeting between the Falcons and Blue Jays. Tonight's win for the Falcons tied the all-time series at two wins apiece.
- Cortez set a career-high with four points in the contest.
- Tonight's two-goal performance was the first of Cortez's career.
- The Falcons' last six-match win streak came in 2011.
UP NEXT
Albertus returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 2, with a home conference tilt against Emmanuel (Mass.) College. Game time is set for 3:30 PM at Celentano Field in New Haven, Conn.