Box score
GARDEN CITY, NY—Defending Atlantic Soccer Conference champion scored twice in each half and did not allow a shot on goal en route to a 4-0 conference win over visiting NJIT in men's soccer Saturday night.
Issa Tall, the 2009 ASC Player of the Year, struck for two goals in the contest, doubling his previous 2010 total, as the Panthers upped their conference record to 2-0-1. Adelphi (8-6-1 overall) is 3-1-1 in its last five matches.
Tall, who scored 16 goals in 18 games as a freshman in 2009, had been limited to two goals the first 14 games of his sophomore campaign. But he broke out for scores in each half against NJIT. Both goals on Saturday were the results of breakaways, the first in the 35th minute and the second in the 70th minute, accounting for Adelphi's second and third goals of the night.
The Panthers got the early jump against the Highlanders, scoring just 3:17 into the contest on an unassisted goal by Steven Rivera, who made his first start of the season and notched his second goal of 2010. The play was a product of Rivera's speed, which he used to beat the NJIT defense.
Adelphi, which has played six 1-0 games this season (won four), plus a scoreless tie, cleared the one-goal hurdle at 34:59, as John Koutsounadis sent a 30-yard pass ahead to Tall, who used one touch and then fired past NJIT keeper John Ricketti.
The 2-0 score held until nearly 25 minutes into the second half, when Tall scored his second goal of the night after maneuvering past a diving Rickett.
Junior Brendan Cullinan capped the scoring with his first career goal, unassisted, 2:35 before the final whistle.
Adelphi's senior goalkeeper Thorne Holder had a comfortable night, posting his sixth shutout of 2010 without being required to make a save.
NJIT's Ricketti finished with five saves, as the Panthers outshot the Highlanders, 18-2 overall and nine shots on goal to zero.
The Highlanders (4-11 overall and 1-1 in conference play) will be home for their final two regular season games, both ASC contests. They will host Howard Tuesday at 7 pm on Lubetkin Field at J. Malcolm Simon Stadium.
(goal descriptions courtesy of Adelphi Athletics External Affairs and Communications office)
