Men's Soccer Blanks Rivier, 5-0, Saturday Night

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team blazed past the visiting Rivier University (Rivier) Raiders, 5-0, Saturday night on the USJ Soccer Field in West Hartford, Conn. The Blue Jays used a three-goal first half to secure the victory. With the result, the Blue Jays move to 4-0-1 overall and 2-0-1 in conference play while the Raiders drop to 0-3-2 and 0-2-1 in the GNAC.

KEY MOMENTS 

• USJ wasted little time finding the opener, as the Blue Jays won the ball in the midfield before graduate student midfielder Michael Torres (Hartford, Conn.) picked out a perfect cross to senior forward Dane Stephens (Linstead, Jamaica), who guided his header perfectly into the bottom right corner, establishing a 1-0 lead six minutes in.
• The Blue Jays continued to pepper the Rivier net, as freshman Matthew Dima (Oxford, Conn.) and senior Henry McGarrah V (Hartford, Conn.) forced saves from the Raider's Noah Horn (Merrick, N.Y.)
• Horn would continue to deny the Blue Jays a second goal until the 35:19 mark. Senior midfielder Juan Torres (Hartford, Conn.) raced down the right side line, keeping the ball in play and finding the feet of Dima, who rolled a pass across the net to sophomore forward Jason Moleiro who fired his strike into the net, increasing USJ's lead to 2-0.
• The Blue Jays made it three moments later as USJ were awarded a penalty kick at the 40:41 mark. Michael Torres would step up to take the spot kick and saw his strike hit the hands of Horn, but go into the back of the net, sending USJ into the halftime leading 3-0.
• USJ added onto the lead early in the second half, winning a free kick in a dangerous position right on the edge of the box. Dima stood over the ball, rifling a shot into the bottom left corner at the 48:15 mark to increase the advantage to 4-0.
• The Blue Jays continued to dominate the game, forcing numerous saves, including a double-save at the 74 minute mark, from Rivier's Dominic Cunha (Peabody, Mass.)
• USJ were rewarded for their efforts at the 80:06 mark, as nice build up play enabled freshman defender Matthew Ryan (Oxford, Conn.) to play a one-two with McGarrah V who rifled a shot past Cunha to establish a 5-0 USJ edge.
• The Blue Jays continued to keep Rivier at bay, securing the teams second consecutive clean sheet, 5-0.

NOTES 

• Michael Torres is now 2-for-2 on penalty kicks this season.
• Moleiro netted his third goal of the campaign while Dima and McGarrah V scored their second each.
• King earned his first collegiate point, dishing out his first career assist.
• Senior goalkeeper Jose Miguel Garcia Martin (Madrid, Spain) made his first appearance in 2023, making two saves to move to 1-0-0 on the year.
• USJ held a dominating 22-9 edge in shots.
• Rivier had a slim 6-5 advantage in corner kicks.
• With the result, the Blue Jays extended its lead in the all-time series to 5-0-0.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays head back on the road, making the trip east to intrastate foes and conference newcomers Mitchell College on Tuesday, September 19. Kickoff against the Mariners is set for 4:00 p.m. on Alumni Field in New London, Conn.

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