Brooklyn Heights, New York---The St. Francis Brooklyn men’s soccer team recorded their first win of the season as they defeated the Howard University Bison, 3-0, at Brooklyn Bridge Park on Tuesday evening. The Terriers improve to 1-4-1 while the Bison remain winless at 0-8-0 on the season. 

St. Francis Brooklyn controlled the tempo from the opening whistle.  Three minutes into the contest, sophomore midfielder Nyle Patel sent a rocket free-kick from twenty-five yards out from the left wing that sailed high over the net. 

The Terriers got on the board first in the 8th minute of the contest as Patel was once again orchestrated the play.  Patel was able to beat his defender on a run from the right and fired a shot that was stopped by Howard’s goalkeeper Eric Hamilton.  Freshman Vincent Bezecourt was able to locate the loose ball and put it in the back of the net for the early advantage. For Bezecourt, it was his first career goal.

The momentum of the first goal carried over and set the tone of the match as the Terriers struck again in the 11th minute off the foot of John Makaya.  Junior midfielder Harry Odell was able to dribble past his defender and executed a well-time give-and-go feed to Makaya, who was able to beat Hamilton to his right for the two-goal lead.  For Makaya, it is his second goal of the year while Odell recorded his first helper of the season. 

Junior netminder Jack Binks played a sensational match as he came up with crucial saves preserving the Terriers victory.  In the 14th minute of the contest, Howard’s McKinley Smith was able to put a right-footed shot from the left wing that Binks was able to make the stand-up save.  He was tested again in the 21st as Rahman Alarape booted a free-kick from the right wing that Binks was able to pull down. 

St. Francis Brooklyn nearly went up 3-0 in the 29th, 30th, and 37th minutes.  First, sophomore Salvatore Barone was able to fire a shot that was deflected while Bezecourt, who was looking for his second goal of the game, trailed the play and fired a shot that found the arms of Hamilton.  In the later part of the stanza, sophomore Fabian Suele lofted a thirty-yard shot attempt that smacked high off the crossbar as the Terriers entered the half with a 2-0 lead while out-shooting the Bison, 13-4.

The third and final goal of the evening came again off the rebound as sophomore Paul Galimi was in the right place at the right time.  Bezecourt once again was able to control the tempo and find his shot that was stopped by Hamilton but Galimi was able to locate the loose ball and stuff the ball into the back of the net for his second goal of the season and his career. 

The Bison’s lone chance of the stanza came in the 86th minute as Aaron Dass sent a high-arching, left-footed attempt that Binks was able to keep away from the back of the net to preserve his first clean sheet of the season. 

In all, St. Francis Brooklyn outshot Howard, 23-5 while both teams only attempted two corner kicks in the match.  Binks recorded his first shutout of the season thanks to a season-high five saves while his counterpart Hamilton allowed three goals and stopped nine shots, to increase his NCAA leading save total to 50 on the season. 

The Terriers will head up to West Point, New York to tangle with the Army Black Knights on September 20th at 7:30 pm. 

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