LORETTO, PA— Saint Francis U scored three goals in the first half to build a 3-0 lead and held off NJIT's late comeback attempt, a pair of goals in a span of 33 seconds in the second half, as the Red Flash went on to win 4-2 Tuesday afternoon in men's soccer non-conference action.
Saint Francis U (7-4-0) had the better of the play in the opening 45 minutes as the Red Flash out-shot the visiting Highlanders, 13-6, in total shots. NJIT (7-3-2) and the Red Flash were even in the second half on total shots, 8-8. SFU was favored 21-14 in overall shots and held a slight edge in corner kicks, 5-4.
SFU goal scorers were: Mario Mastrangelo (31:37; 10
th of the season), Lucas Rosa (35:46; 3
rd of the season), Leonardo Ribeiro (39:57; 2
nd of the season) and Troye Kiernan (53:05; 4
th of the season).
NJIT scored a pair of goals in a span of 33 seconds in the second half by senior
Mamadou Guirassy goal at 63:19, his nation-leading 12
th goal of the season and
Pablo Jimenez's goal at 63:52, his first collegiate goal.
Highlander sophomore keeper
Victor Pujades combined for nine saves while SFU keeper Marcus Rojas stopped four Highlander shots.
"We played well in the first 25 minutes and the last 25 minutes of the game, dominating in possession and scoring chances," seond-year head coach
Fernando Barboto added. "But in soccer you have to play for 90 minutes or else you will get punished. We got punished by a good team on the road that has a very good striker in Mastrangelo."
Guriassy had an early scoring opportunity for the Highlanders in the 13
th minute off a cross by senior
Phillip Costa as SFU keeper grabbed the save. Two minutes later, Guirassy took his defender 1-v-1 into the box but his shot sailed wide of the frame in the 15
th minute.
The first offensive scoring opportunity for SFU came in the 22
nd minute on a shot by Andres Vega but keeper Pujades secured his first save of the match.
In the 24
th minute, Pujades grabbed his second save off a bouncing ball shot that was blocked to keep the Red Flash off the board on Lucas Rosa's shot.
A counter attack by the Red Flash off a through ball in the 26
th minute went wide on Mario Mastrangelo's shot. Christan Kirchhoff's shot outside the 18 in the 28
th minute was grabbed by Pujades to keep the Red Flash off the board.
SFU got on the board in the 32
nd minute on a team-leading 10
th goal of the season by Mastranglo. Mastranglo received the ball inside the box off a cross by Gabriel Castro and a pass from Tulio Canineu tucking away a top shelf shot for a 1-0 advantage.
Two minutes later, Kirchhoff nearly scored the second goal of the match as his strike hit the left post.
The home team doubled its lead, 2-0, with a blast of a shot in the 36
th minute by Rosa from 30 yards out over a leaping Pujades for his third goal of the season.
SFU added another goal in the 40
th minute on a strike from Leonardo Ribeiro his second of the season for a 3-0 lead.
Pujades made a diving save in the final minute of the first half off a header by Gabriel Castro to the far post.
To start off the second half, SFU senior Troye Kiernan scored the fourth goal in the 54
th minute on a penalty kick.
Guirassy put one into the back of the net in the 64
th minute after running down a bouncing ball towards the SFU keeper, chipping the ball and scoring his nation-leading 12
th goal of the season for the Highlanders. Senior
Danny Cordeiro was credited with the assist.
Freshman
Pablo Jimenez cut the lead in half, 4-2, with his first collegiate goal in the 64
th minute on a shot from the top of the 18 assisted by Cordiero and
Juan Zapata.
Sophomore
Andy Alvarez, making his first appearance of the season, took a left-footed shot in the 79
th minute, just sailing wide of the goal.
NJIT, in a stretch of five matches on the road, will return to ASUN Conference action on Saturday at Stetson. Kickoff is slated for 6pm in DeLand, Florida.
