October 3, 2008
LONG ISLAND SPOILS BULLDOG SENIOR DAY WITH 2-0 VICTORY
SMITHFIELD, RI- Playing in their lone contest of the year, the
Bryant University men's soccer lost a hard fought match to Long
Island University, 2-0, Friday afternoon at Bulldog Stadium. Prior
to the game, Bryant honored its two seniors, Matt Brown
(South Easton, Mass.) and Manny Rodriguez (North
Branford, Conn.), for their hard-work and dedication to
the program over the last four years. The Blackbirds (5-4-0), who
had come into play owning a 4-game win streak, were able to extend
their streak to five games thanks to two second half goals.
The Bulldogs (1-10-1) controlled the pace of play for the entire first half, but could only manage one shot. They had an early scoring chance when Norbert Guery (Andover, Mass.) swung a free kick into the box that found the head of Rodriguez but just went wide of the post. Later in the first half, the Blackbirds had a scoring chance of their own off a free kick, as Craig Stant chipped a ball into the box that Jukka Lehto was able to flick towards the net off his head but it just trickled wide. The two teams would go into the half in a scoreless tie.
Bryant continued to push for a goal in the second half, as a throw in from Rodriguez deflected directly to freshman Nicholas Parisi (Holbrook, N.Y.) about 12 yards out, but the shot came off the side of his foot and went right into the hands of Blackbird keeper Adam Janssen.
The Bulldogs dodged a bullet early in the half when Stant hit another great corner kick that deflected out to Frank Alesci who hit a hard volleyed shot but it went right at goalkeeper Neil Black (Roslyn Heights, N.Y.) for his only save of the game.
Long Island broke through in the 66th minute on a bouncing ball that went towards Rommel Forde who was able to play a beautifully led header to Jukka Lehto. Lehto laid himself out for a diving header that just beat Black to his left side and went into the net to give the Blackbirds the 1-0 lead. Long Island would strike again just five minutes later as a defensive breakdown allowed freshman forward Steve Jakubowski to dribble down the sideline and into the box before taking a shot that deflected off a Bulldog defender and went just past Black's fingertips into the side netting.
Matt Brown would make an effort to get the Bulldogs on the board in the 80th minute of play taking the ball down the right sideline and firing a shot that hit the outside of the post. That would be it for the Bulldogs as Long Island would go on to the 2-0 victory.
The Bulldogs will be back on the road for their remaining schedule, traveling to Fordham University Sunday to take on the Rams (3:30 pm).
Men's Soccer
@ Smithfield, RI
Long Island 2, Bryant 0
Goals:
BRY - none
LIU - Lehto (66th), Jakubowski (71st)
Shots - Bryant 7, LIU 9 Saves - Bryant 1, LIU 1
Halftime - Tied 0-0
