POSTGAME INTERVIEWS – The College of Staten Island men’s soccer team broke a four-game winless skid in a big way, scoring a lop-sided, 7-0, win over visiting York College at the CSI Soccer Complex as part of CUNYAC play. The Dolphins lifted their record to 4-3-1 overall and scored their first CUNYAC win of the year, levelling their record to 1-1 in conference play. Now mired in a 24-game losing streak dating back to last season, the Cardinals fell to 0-7, 0-1, respectively.
Having been shut out in the previous 295 minutes, the Dolphins made it a point to perfect their finishing in this contest, and that is exactly what they did. Just 2:05 into the contest, the Dolphins registered on their first official shot. Ryan Layman scored his first collegiate goal, connecting on a short tap-in via a Peter Hanna feeder in the box. It would prove to be the game winner, but relentless pressure would lead to another pair of first half goals.
After YC keeper Nigel Sampson made a pair of saves on CSI leading scorer Marcin Klim, the senior finally penetrated with a goal in the 21st minute, heading in a ball into the top shelf on an assisted pass from Ilir Papraniku. Then it was junior Adrian Cosovic who put on a show. Coming in in the 21st minute, he would rip two shots wide. The Cardinals then retaliated and nearly registered when a shot by Ivan Brito rocked off of the crossbar. In the 33rd minute, CSI got their first look at sophomore Matthew Bessler, who missed CSI’s first seven games due to injury. Bessler was the sparkplug the Dolphins needed, and just five minutes into the game he sent a sterling low cross inside the 18 that Cosovic tapped in for the 3-0 lead. With a 22-2 edge in shots in the period, CSI went into half with that score.
CSI was not done there. The Dolphins stormed out of the half with a goal just 27 seconds into the second stanza. This time, freshman Christopher Lopez tallied an unassisted marker dribbling through the left side of the defense and putting in a goal on the low far post. Then Cosovic took over for CSI. In the 51st minute he turned on another Bessler pass and rocked a shot against a helpless Sampson who was left one-on-one. Six minutes later, Cosovic scored the hat-trick on another similar play, this time off of a Chris Li feeder. Three minutes after that, Cosovic scored goal number four and the second-half hat-trick heading home a shot off of a Juan Candela corner kick attempt, one of 18 corners taken by the Dolphins.
By the full 90, CSI had a dubious 51-3 shot advantage (22-1 on goal). Cosovic finished with a game high 10 shots in just 45 minutes. CSI enjoyed an 18-0 edge in corners, and were whistled for six offsides penalties. Jake Foeldes scored the win for CSI needing only make one save in the first 45 minutes. Antonio Lynch came in for the second frame to insure the shutout.
The Dolphins will be back on home ground this weekend, when they host Medgar Evers College in a 12 Noon matinee on Saturday, to continue their CUNYAC slate.
