BETHLEHEM, Pa.—Senior midfielder Bill McGuiness (Forty Fort, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) had a goal and an assist to lift The University of Scranton men’s soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Moravian College in Landmark Conference action Wednesday afternoon.

Sophomore forward Kevin Kozic (Raritan, NJ/Immaculata) added a goal for the Royals, now 11-0-2 overall, 5-0 in the Landmark Conference, and currently ranked 19th in the nation in the latest poll released by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).  

The win also locks up a Landmark Conference postseason tournament berth for Scranton, its first since 2009 and its fourth in the conference’s six-year history.

The loss dropped Moravian to 5-9-1 overall and 0-5 in league play.

From the onset, it appeared the Royals might have an easy time.  Scranton scored twice in the opening 12 minutes to open up a comfortable 2-0 lead.  Kozic tapped in a ball that deflected off the post on a ball served up by McGuiness in the fourth minute and McGuiness followed moments later with his team-leading eighth goal of the year, out-juking a defender and blasting a shot into the right corner of the net.

The Greyhounds, however, settled down after the Royals’ quick start and narrowed the margin to 2-1 by intermission on a goal by sophomore defender Matt Guidon (Cranford, NJ/Cranford), his second of the season.  He knocked in a loose ball after freshman defender Matt Gandy (Jamesburg, NJ/Monroe Township) headed a shot towards the goal in the 27th minute.

Scranton held a 26-10 advantage in shots and 11-3 margin in corner kicks.

In the first start of his career, sophomore goalie Josh Ryan (Dallas, Pa./Scranton Preparatory) finished with four saves for the Royals, who return to Landmark Conference action this Saturday, October 20, Catholic University in Washington, DC, beginning at 3:30 p.m.  Senior Mike Brand (Hackettstown, NJ/Hackettstown) finished with a match-high 11 saves in goal for Moravian.

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