The College of Staten island men’s soccer team began their training just a few short days ago, and to kickoff the on-field play, 31 members of the team’s Alumni came out for an annual Black vs. Blue Alumni Game at the CSI Soccer Complex preceding a varsity team scrimmage against St. Joseph’s College of Long Island. The Blue team defeated Black in a 4-3 thriller.
Alumni arbitrarily formed two teams ranging in teams from the mid 80’s to an late as last season. When play started, the pace was feverish, and within moments the Blue team took a 1-0 lead on a goal by 2016 alum Rustam Djumayev. Nicholas Bacarella added a second tally on a running header that lasered past Black goalkeeper Daniel Raffo giving Blue a 2-0 lead. The teams traded goals to end the half with Blue holding a 3-1 lead.
In the second half, Blue nursed their lead by adding a Peter Hanna goal to make it 4-1. With time wining down and less than five minutes to play, Black scored to make it 4-2 and then with just a hair over three minutes left, Giovanni Cortese hit an absolute rocket in the upper corner to make it 4-3. Play intensified and with 1:30 left, Black had a tremendous opportunity with a free kick just outside the box, but the shot would said well wide to alleviate the threat, and the Blue team was able to hold on.
With a goal and two assists, Hanna was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
“It was a great event, and it was very nice to welcome back our alumni,” said Head Coach John Tardy, who enters his sixth season with the Dolphins. “Keeping our great alumni involved and investing in our current team shows them that we care about their time here and our current players appreciate their support.”
After the game, Alumni were treated to food and refreshments as the Dolphins entertained St. Joseph’s in the first of two scrimmages they will have before opening up official play on Labor Day weekend.
