r Team finished their season 7-9-1, (4-5-1 NEC). Providence College came into Friday’s game 0-13-2 and picked up their first win if the season in a disappointing 3-0 loss for the Braves.
Quinnipiac was a man down after Rob Stoutenburg was ejected from the game in the first half. “We were a man down early,” QU goaltender James Ryan, who had six saves in the game, said, “and they played very well.” Head Coach Vic Santos said that it was a frustrating game and that playing a man down hurt them. Providence scored one goal in the first half and their other two in the second half of the game.
Earlier in the week Quinnipiac lost 4-2 against St. Francis (NY), although the Braves out shot the Terriers 25-14. Junior Vinnie Vial (Danbury, CT) scored QU’s first goal on a 40-yard kick, and freshman Aldin Beslagic (Hartford, CT) scored the second with just under thirteen minutes left in the game. Both goals were Vial and Beslagic’s first in their collegiate careers. Quinnipiac goaltender, Kevin Kelley, a junior from East Hampton, Mass, had three saves.
The team ended their season feeling that they had the potential to do more than they came out with this season. Santos, who is in his ninth year with the team, said, “I think that we under achieved this season.” He said that there were a lot of games that they gave away that they could have won.
The team will be losing six seniors this season who played in their last collegiate game Friday; Eric DaCosta (New Bedford, Mass), Doug Domingues (Londrina-PR, Brazil), James Ryan (North Haven, CT), Vincent Carranante (East Longmeadow, Mass), Eric Fulcher (Lincroft, NJ), and Rob Stoutenburg (Wyandanch, NY).
Looking forward to next season the Head Coach said, “It’s always hard to lose seniors,” but that they should have a good team next year with recruits coming in. Alyrio Howard, a junior from Trinidad and Tobago said that the season was “disappointing” and that they “had a good team and a chance to make it.” He said that there is a lot of strength left on the team and they plan to work hard and try again next year.
“We had a great group of guys and we didn’t achieve all that we could have,” Ryan said after playing in his last game, “I wish them the best of luck next year.”
Quinnipiac University will be hosting the Northeast Conference men’s soccer championships this year for the first time. November 9-11th the top four regular season finishers in the NEC will be playing in the tournament.