The Quinnipiac men’s soccer team has been putting up some impressive numbers as a team early on in the season. Through their early games, the team has played well, winning two of the four.
Both of the Bobcat victories came in the Black Bear Classic in Orono, Maine. The first was a 2-1 win against Niagara College in the season opener. Mike Durand scored the first goal of the season for the Bobcats on the teams first shot. The score stayed tied until the 60th minute when Francis Mavula scored on a pass from Anthony Patierno. Both goals scored were the first in the careers of Durand and Mavula.
Conor Shilcock-Elliot made six saves for the Bobcats on 18 Niagara shots.
The lone goal for Niagara was scored by Richard Fleck off a rebounded shot during the 27th minute in the first half.
During the Bobcats’ second game in the Black Bear Classic, much of the play was the same, as was the outcome. The scoring started early in the first half when Canisius College forward, Chris Robey, scored off a rebounded shot off the poll. From there Quinnipiac dominated. The Bobcats tied it up at one 12 minutes later when sophomore Joseph Caternor scored from just in front of the net. The game remained tied and went into overtime. Three minutes and 14 seconds into the first overtime period, freshman Francis Mavula netted his second goal of the two game tournament to win it for the Bobcats. The goal gave the Bobcats the victory and also the tournament crown. Goaltender Kenneth Lewis made three saves to pick up the win in his first start of the season.
Mavula was given the tournament MVP award. Defenseman Wojciech Kurys, Midfielder Anthony Patierno, and Goaltender Conor Shilcock-Elliott were three of the 11 players selected for the tournament all-star team.
In the first true away game of the season, the Bobcats fell to St. Peter’s 3-0. Adam Ciklic, Douglas Narvaez, and Rinaldo Chambers all added goals for the 3-0 Peacocks. The Bobcats were out shot 34-5.
Conor Silcock-Elliot stopped 12 of those shots, setting a new career high for him.
Three days later, the Bobcats came back to Hamden to host their first home game of the season. Freshman, Abel James, scored his first career goal on a penalty shot in the 71st minute in the second half.
After going scoreless for the first 88 minutes, the Hawks got the ball rolling. Daniel Torres struck first, scoring from the top of the box 88:11 minutes into the game. Fifty nine seconds later, Alon Lubezky scored the game deciding goal sending the Bobcats to their second consecutive loss, dropping their record to 2-2.
Kenneth Lewis played in goal for the Bobcats, stopping nine of the Hawks’ 15 shots.
The Bobcats have seven home games remaining, including five in a row from October 19 to the 31st. With this kind of schedule, the home field advantage will be important to the success of the Bobcats down the stretch. But in the mean time, the squad must survive through tough road games at Northeastern, Mount St. Mary’s, and George Mason. If they can win on the road, the team will be in good shape coming back to Hamden.
