Brooklyn Heights, New York---The St. Francis Brooklyn men’s soccer team capped off their first season at the brand new Brooklyn Bridge Park-Pier 5 with a 1-0 victory against the Bryant University Bulldogs in Northeast Conference action on Sunday afternoon.   The Terriers, who posted a 4-1-1 in their new digs, honored their nine seniors in a pre-game ceremony just before kickoff.  St. Francis Brooklyn improves to 9-4-1; 3-2 in conference matches while the Bulldogs falter to 5-8-1; 2-2-1 in the NEC. 

The game-winner came in the 57th minute off the foot of senior forward Gabriel Bagot.  Freshman midfielder Fabian Suele was able to take on two Bulldog defenders in the middle of the box.  Suele was able to locate a cutting Bagot on the left side.  The fourth-year forward was able to chip a right-footed shot over the outstretched hands of Knaub for the 1-0 advantage.  For Bagot, it is his seventh goal of the season and twenty-fourth of his career.  Suele was credited with his first collegiate assist.

“It’s a huge victory for us today,” commented head coach Tom Giovatto.  “The guys worked hard today.  Salvatore (Barone) stepped in today and played important minutes for us.  Today’s win was big as it’s up to us to continue to work hard as the playoffs are around the corner.”

“It was a big goal for us,” commented Bagot. “More importantly, the team picked up the win, three points in the standings.  To score today (on Senior Day) in front of my family, some of them coming from Europe, it was very exciting and very fulfilling.” 

The visitors nearly tallied the first goal of the match just three minutes as Marco Addonizio fired a shot from inside the box that was denied by Terriers’ junior netminder, Jack Binks.  The home eleven had an opportunity in the 18th minute as senior defenseman Klement Gjushi fired a long shot attempt from the left side of the field that was punched away by Bryant’s Chris Knaub to keep the match scoreless.

Binks came up with one of the biggest saves on the afternoon in the 24th minute.  Addonizio fired another shot that was destined for the back of the goal but Binks made a tremendous diving save to his right to keep the score deadlocked at zero.  Both teams couldn’t muster much more after that save and entered the intermission tied at zero.

The visitors had a golden opportunity in the 66th minute when Curtis Orth was able to beat a Terrier defender and place a shot on goal that Binks made a stand-up save.  Nearly ten minutes later, Bryant’s Brett Larocque crossed the ball from the right side of the field that found teammate Terrence Morrissey in the box. Morrissey soared up in the air and headed the ball down but directed it wide of the goal. 

St. Francis Brooklyn had three chances to increase the lead.  Their first chance, in the 82nd minute, freshman midfielder Salvatore Barone shot attempt was blocked by a Bryant defender.  Junior defender Andy Cormack was able to corral the loose ball and launch a shot that ricocheted of the right post.  Alertly, Barone swooped in and nearly had his first career goal but Knaub was able to keep the ball from crossing into the net. 

For the match, St. Francis Brooklyn outshot the Bulldogs, 14-11 while both teams attempted three corner kicks in the match.  Binks recorded his fifth shutout of the season while making three saves on the afternoon.  His counterpart Knaub also stopped three shots while allowing the lone goal of the match. 

The Terriers will return to the pitch on November 1st as they travel to Teaneck, New Jersey to take on the defending Northeast Conference champions, the Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights.  Kick-off from University Stadium is slated for 7:00 pm.  All the action can be seen live on NECFrontRow.com, the official online digital network of the Northeast Conference.
 

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