Men's Soccer Wins Third Straight, Defeats SJC on the Road Saturday Afternoon

STANDISH, Maine – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team extended its winning streak to three matches, besting Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) foe Saint Joseph's College of Maine (SJC), 3-1, Saturday afternoon at the SJC Athletics Complex in Standish, Maine. The victory marked the second time in program history that the Blue Jays defeated the Monks. With the result, the Blue Jays improved to 3-3-1 on the year and 2-0-1 in GNAC play, while the Monks dropped to 2-4-1 overall and 2-2-0 in the conference.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• USJ piled on the pressure early, forcing a pair of saves from SJC's goalkeeper Liam Foley in the opening six minutes.
• The game then became a battle of the midfield, with neither team generating a clear cut scoring opportunity.
• Graduate student forward Henry McGarrah V (Hartford, Conn.) quickly changed the momentum of the match, winning the ball at the halfway line before driving towards the net and launching a strike from 25 yards out past Foley to establish a 1-0 USJ lead at the 41:30 mark. The scoreline would hold entering the halftime break.
• The Blue Jays wasted little time extending the lead as the second half began, as senior forward Dane Stephens (Linstead, Jamaica) pounced on a ball that rattled off the crossbar following a USJ corner kick, heading the ball into an open net to increase the gap to 2-0 two minutes into the second half.
• SJC quickly answered back, cutting the deficit to 2-1 with 49:43 on the clock after a goal from Gus Ford.
• USJ would not be deterred though, reestablishing a two goal lead, 3-1, at the 51:18 mark, as McGarrah V found sophomore midfielder Nate Gabriel (Naugatuck, Conn.) with a low driven cross at the back post allowing Gabriel to tap the ball into the net.
• The Blue Jays continued to keep the Monks at bay, not allowing the hosts a chance back into the game, as USJ secured a 3-1 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• McGarrah V netted his team leading fourth goal of the season.
• Stephens scored his third goal of the campaign while Gabriel netted his first career goal.
• Freshman goalkeeper Will Slayton (Manchester, Conn.) played all 90 minutes in net, picking up the win (1-1-1) after tallying four saves.
• The Blue Jays outshot the Monks, 14-12.
• SJC held a 9-2 advantage in corner kicks.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays return to West Hartford to continue GNAC play on Wednesday, September 25 against Elms College. Opening kickoff against the Blazers on the USJ Soccer Field is slated for 6:00 p.m.

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