Last Minute Goal Lifts Men's Soccer Over Lasell, 1-0, Saturday Night

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Freshman midfielder Damir Cirikovic (Southington, Conn.) netted a dramatic game-winning goal with less than two minutes to play in regulation, lifting the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team over Lasell University (Lasell), 1-0, Saturday night during Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play at the USJ Soccer Field in West Hartford, Conn. The goal was Cirikovic's first career goal and gave the Blue Jays their first victory of the 2024 campaign. With the result, the Blue Jays move to 1-3-1 on the campaign and 1-0-1 in the GNAC, while the Lasers move to 1-3-0 overall and 1-1-0 in the GNAC.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• The first half was a battle of the midfield, as neither team generated a shot on goal, sending the game deadlocked at 0-0 entering the half.
• The action began to ramp up in the second, as the Blue Jays peppered shots towards goal, but could not find the frame of the net.
• The Lasers nearly took the lead at the 65 minute mark when graduate student forward Maphumulo Mpumelelo (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) looped a header over USJ freshman goalkeeper Aidan Peterson (Cheshire, Conn.), but junior defender Nicholas Simpson (Mansfield, Conn.) heroically stopped the ball at the goal line, clearing the ball and preventing the visitors from taking the lead.
• Cirikovic almost immediately gave USJ the lead two minutes later, but his one-on-one effort was well saved by Lasell's senior netminder Cameron McDonough (Melrose, Mass.)
• USJ were then granted a golden opportunity to take the lead at the 79:50 mark, as senior forward Dane Stephens (Linstead, Jamaica) was brought down inside the box, earning a penalty kick. Stephens would step up to take the spot kick, but McDonough guessed correctly, stopping Stephen's effort that was destined for the bottom right corner, preserving the stalemate.
• The Blue Jays kept pushing for the winner late in the game, and were rewarded at the 88:21 mark, as Cirikovic followed up his own rebound, slotting the ball past McDonough and establishing a 1-0 USJ lead.
• The Blue Jays continued to play great defense, denying Lasell a dramatic equalizer, securing their first win of the season, 1-0.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The goal was the first in Cirikovic's career.
• Peterson played all 90 minutes in goal, making one save to keep his first career shutout, and pick up his first career victory.
• USJ held a 13-9 edge in shots.
• The Blue Jays also had a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.
• The victory maintains the Blue Jays perfect record over the Lasers, 6-0-0.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays take a quick step out of GNAC play, heading down to New York, N.Y., for the team's final non-conference match against John Jay College on Wednesday, September 18. Opening kickoff against the Bloodhounds at Randall's Island Park Field #74 in Manhattan is slated for 3:30 p.m.

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