Brooklyn Heights, New York—The St. Francis Brooklyn men’s soccer team extended their unbeaten streak to seven matches as they defeated the NJIT Highlanders, 2-0, on Saturday afternoon.  The Terriers, who are 5-0-2 in the last seven games, improve to 5-4-2 on the season while the Highlanders drop to 5-3-3.  It was the final non-conference matchup for the Terriers in 2014. 

Both teams played even for the first five minutes of the contest.  St. Francis Brooklyn nearly converted in the 7th minute as Nyle Patel was able to continue his run down the left side of the field and chipped a shot on goal that NJIT’s Christian Foust was able to stop.  On the ensuing Highlander possession, Matija Blazic set up for the free-kick.  He delivered a strike that teammate Jimmy Myers was able to out leap a Terrier defender and head the ball high over the net. 

In the 18th, freshman midfielder Vincent Bezecourt booted a left-footed strike from approximately thirty-yards out that was corralled by Foust, keeping the match tied at zero.  In the 24th and 26th, the Terriers tested the Highlanders’ keeper as Bezecourt once again sent a shot on goal that was stopped followed by Patel, who headed the attempt.

With just three minutes till halftime, senior defender and co-captain Riccardo Milano headed in his first goal of the season.  The play was setup as Bezecourt sent ball from the left corner with Milano able to outleap the NJIT defender to stuff home the contest’s first tally.  For Bezecourt, it was his fourth helper of the season.

As play resumed for the second half, the Terriers seized the momentum as a minute in, junior forward John Makaya was able to force a NJIT turnover and race in on net.  The first year Terrier was able to find space around the top of the 18 yard box but his chance was turned aside by Foust.  In the 58th minute, sophomore midfielder Salvatore Barone blasted a shot from the right side that was stopped by Foust. The Highlanders lone shot on goal came in the 73rd minute as Jason Chippy was able to create space on the left side of the field.  He was able to loft a chance high but junior goalkeeper Jack Binks was able to secure the save. 

St. Francis Brooklyn extended the lead to two in the 76th minute as Makaya netted his sixth goal of his career and fellow countryman Bezecourt was credited with his fifth assist of the season.  Bezecourt was able to soar up the left side of the field and attack on goal.   Foust came up from the cage to thwart Bezecourt’s run by making a sliding stop, but couldn’t secure the loose ball.  Makaya, trailing the play, was able to bury the attempt to the back of the net for the two goal edge. 

The Terriers, who controlled the tempo for much of the game, nearly got a third goal as freshman David Shafer was able to beat his defender on goal and fire a right-footed attempt that sailed high over the net.  In the final three minutes of the match, Makaya went for his second goal of the game, but Foust was able to make the diving save to his right.  With a minute left in regulation, newcomer Federico Curbelo was able to blast an attempt from the left wing, about 15 yards away, but the shot was off-target.

St. Francis Brooklyn held a 15-10 advantage on shots and a 7-1 margin off corner kicks while keeping the visitors to just one shot on target. Binks, who finished with one save, moved into sole possession of 12th place all-time in career saves at St. Francis Brooklyn with his 106th career save.  The Darlington, England product recorded his sixth consecutive clean sheet, giving him 13 as a Terrier goalkeeper.

Northeast Conference play is on tap for the Terriers as they travel to Fairfield, Connecticut to tangle with the Sacred Heart University Pioneers on October 10th, at 4:30 pm.  The match will be broadcast on NEC Front Row, the online digital network of the Northeast Conference. 

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