Stellar Second Half Lifts Men's Soccer to Dominant 4-1 Victory at JWU Wednesday

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team utilized a stellar second half to comeback and defeat Johnson & Wales University (JWU), 4-1, on the road during Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on a blustery Wednesday night at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex in Providence, R.I. Trailing 1-0 at the half, the Blue Jays scored four goals in the second 45 minutes of play to secure the victory. Freshman forward Damir Cirikovic (Southington, Conn.) notched a brace to pace the offense. With the result, the Blue Jays improved to 9-4-3 on the year and 8-1-3 in GNAC play, while the Wildcats were handed their first defeat in GNAC play, dropping to 12-2-3 overall and 9-1-3 in the conference.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• The Wildcats tested the Blue Jays early, forcing a pair of fine saves out of USJ freshman goalkeeper Will Slayton (Manchester, Conn.) inside the opening stanza of the game.
• However, JWU would find the back of the net first, as senior midfielder Connor Elliott (Mansfield, Mass.) whipped in an in-swinging corner kick onto the foot of graduate student midfielder Aidan Bagley (Cumberland, R.I.), who guided the ball into the net, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead at the 19:41 mark.
• The Blue Jays would generate a pair of shots but could not test the JWU goalkeeper as the hosts took a 1-0 edge into the halftime break.
• USJ would come alive offensively in the second half, tying the game at the 59-minute mark after junior defender Eduardo Chavez-Baez (Norwalk, Conn.) slipped a ball through to Cirikovic, who slotted his shot past the JWU goalkeeper.
• Cirikovic doubled his scoring tally eight minutes later, finding the back of the net again at the 67:23 mark, getting on the end of a freshman midfielder Justin Cardinale (Wolcott, Conn.) pass to give USJ the lead, 2-1.
• The Blue Jays kept their foot on the gas, scoring a third goal at the 82:12 mark when graduate student midfielder Henry McGarrah V (Hartford, Conn.) rifled the ball into the net on an assist from USJ freshman goalkeeper Will Slayton (Manchester, Conn.), to increase the gap to 3-1.
• Freshman midfielder Landon Coelho (Naugatuck, Conn.) put the game to rest at the 84:12 mark, unleashing a thunderous 35-yard strike into the top right corner, increasing the gap to 4-1.
• The deficit proved too great for the Wildcats as the Blue Jays secured the 4-1 comeback victory when the final horn sounded.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Cirikovic netted his fifth and sixth goal of the year, while McGarrah V recorded his team-leading ninth, and Coelho notched his second.
• Slayton played all 90 minutes in goal, picking up the win after tallying six saves.
• JWU held the overall edge in shots, 17-12, but was outshot in the second half, 10-6.
• The Wildcats also held a 9-2 advantage in corner kicks. 

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays round out a two-game road swing with a stop in Henniker, N.H., for a GNAC match at New England College on Saturday, October 26. Opening kickoff against the Pilgrims on Don Melander Field is slated for 3:00 p.m.

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