Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook men's soccer senior forward Raphael Abreu (New York, N.Y.) slammed home a goal 3:43 into overtime to lift the Seawolves to an exciting 1-0 win over Lehigh in their home opener at LaValle Stadium Friday night.

 

Coach Ryan Anatol's Reaction

"I thought it was a good performance by our guys. Our pressure was good and we created a lot of chances as a result of that. We knew we were wearing them down. We felt as though the more we continued to create chances that one would come and we finally got one in overtime."

 

Goal Recaps

After a Seawolves throw-in, senior Leonardo Fernandes (North Babylon, N.Y.) played the ball about 40 yards away from the net. He passed to a streaking senior Kyle Schlesinger (Selden, N.Y.), who then passed to Abreu, who slipped through two defenders. Lehigh goalkeeper Ciaran Nugent tried to snatch the ball, but Abreu got to it and then had an open look at the net, burying the ball in the top left corner as his momentum drove him left.

 

The Numbers Game

• The goal was the fifth game-winner and 14th overall of Abreu's career.
• Junior goalkeeper Carlos Villa (Caracas, Venezuela) made six saves for his second clean sheet of the season. 
• Stony Brook outshot Lehigh 14-10.
• Fernandes has posted at least one point in each of his last six regular season matches and eight of his last nine matches overall.
• Each team drew two yellow cards.

 

News & Notes

• The win was the first for Stony Brook in overtime since a 1-0 win over Hofstra on Sept. 1, 2010. Schelsinger scored the game-winner in that game with just 51 seconds remaining in the first overtime.
• The win is Stony Brook's first-ever over Lehigh. SB is now 1-1-1 against the Mountain Hawks all-time.
• Stony Brook and Lehigh battled to a scoreless draw last season in Bethlehem, Pa.
• Stony Brook is now 10-4-0 in home openers since becoming Div. I in 1999.

 

Up Next

Stony Brook plays in the Kentucky Invitational next weekend, but will not face the host Wildcats. The Seawolves take on Charlotte, last season's NCAA Tournament runner-up, Friday at 4:30 p.m., and face Saint Joseph's Sunday at noon.