Stephens Brace Lifts Men's Soccer Past Dean Thursday, 4-2

FRANKLIN, Mass. – A brace from Dane Stephens (Jamaica) lifted the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team past Dean College (Dean), 4-2, on the road this afternoon in Franklin, Mass. The two-goal outing was the first multi-goal game for Stephens this season.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: USJ 4, Dean 2
Records: USJ (7-2-1, 4-1-1 GNAC), Dean (4-5-1, 2-4-1 GNAC)
Location: Longley Athletic Complex (Franklin, Mass.)

KEY MOMENTS

• Dean would pile on the pressure early in the match, generating numerous scoring chances inside the opening 10 minutes. However, the USJ defense stood firm, preventing any shots from being on target and denying the Bulldogs from taking the advantage.
• Jose Miguel Garcia Martin (Madrid, Spain) would make a fine save in the 12th minute, diving down to his right to stop a Dean long range effort, reacting quickly to clean up the rebound and keep the Bulldogs off the board.
• The Blue Jays would look to strike first in the 18th minute, working the ball brilliantly into the box and finding the feet of Umar Malick (Bristol, Conn.). Malick would try his luck from close range, but his shot rifled off the post before the Dean goalkeeper collected the loose ball.
• USJ continued its offensive onslaught, as Anthony Delacruz (Esat Hartford, Conn.) launched a first time strike from 30 yards out, that cannoned off the crossbar.
• The Blue Jays would be rewarded for their efforts in the 36th minute. After Michael Torres (Hartford, Conn.) saw his initial cross be deflected back to him, he sent in a first time ball that found the head of Dane Stephens (Jamaica), who guided the ball into the upper right corner, giving USJ the lead.
• Benjamin Marchetti (Higganum, Conn.) would waste little time doubling the advantage for the Blue Jays. The forward would win the ball back inside Dean's 18-yeard box before being brought down inside the box, winning a penalty. Marchetti would step up to take the spot kick, placing the ball outside of the keeper's reach, giving USJ a 2-0 lead.
• The Bulldogs would look to pull one back late in the half, but Garcia Martin made a pair of excellent stops, keeping the score line at 2-0 entering the halftime break.
• The second half started as a battle of the midfield as neither team could find the breakthrough.
• Dean would launch the second stanza's first strike, forcing Garcia Martin to make another incredible save in the 54th minute.
• The hosts would pull a goal back a few moments later, cutting the Blue Jays' lead to 2-1 in the 56th minute after a goal by Luke Palmer.
• Stephens would come up clutch for the Blue Jays moments later, reestablishing the lead to two, 3-1. Stephens would get on the end of a perfectly placed through ball by Jared Galarza (Newington, Conn.), slotting the ball underneath the rushing Dean goalkeeper.
• Charles Mputu (East Hartford, Conn.) looked to add a fourth in the 71st minute, but his effort was well saved by the Dean goalkeeper.
• USJ came close again in the 79th minute, as Galarza had a point-blank effort denied but an incredible save by the Bulldog's goalkeeper.
• USJ continued to pile on the pressure, getting their fourth goal in the 82nd minute. Torres played an excellent pass to Joel Agbetossou (Hartford, Conn.), who slotted the ball into the back of the net, increasing the gap to 4-1.
• Dean though wasted little time in scoring their second goal, cutting the gap to 4-2, less than minute after Agbetossou's strike.
• The Blue Jays defense would hold strong though, not allowing any more Dean scoring opportunities and securing a 4-2 road victory.

QUOTABLE

"We are very happy with the result and performance today. We had to shuffle the team around frequently due to conditions and recent injuries, so we are thrilled to come away with the three points," said head coach Paul Wright.

NOTES

• Stephens paced the offense with two goals, his fourth and fifth of the year
• The offensive output marked the first multi-goal game for him this season
• Torres was the primary playmaker, dishing out two assists on the afternoon
• The Blue Jays held a narrow 17-15 edge in shots.
• USJ had a commanding 11-4 advantage in corner kicks.
• Garcia Martin tallied five saves, improving his record to 4-2-0.
• The contest marked the second ever meeting between the Blue Jays and Bulldogs, as USJ increased its lead in the all-time series to 2-0.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays return to the USJ Soccer Field in West Hartford for a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest on Saturday, October 8, against Lasell University. Kickoff between the Blue Jays and Lasers is set for 3:00 p.m.

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