LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – Siena erupted for a trio of goals in just 6:53 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the first 12 minutes en route to a 4-1 thrashing of Saint Joseph’s. Sophomore back Matt Needham scored his first two collegiate goals for the Saints including the game-winner.

 

Siena (3-2) scored more goals in the first 9:20 (two) then it had in being shutout in two of its past three matches combined (one). All three of the Saints’ goal scorers – Alex Portela, Needham and David Itoafa – each recorded their first collegiate tallies.

 

The Saints wasted no time jumping on the Hawks (1-2-3) and taking them out of the match. Playing in his first collegiate contest, Portela finished a cross from Nathan Olukanmi to put the Saints on top in the fifth minute.

 

Before the Hawks could regroup, Siena made it 2-0 in the 10^th minute. The Saints recorded another precision tally as Edmundo Briones’ corner was headed by Danilo Markovic to Needham on the far post who tipped it in.

 

And if that wasn’t enough, the match would be all but over two minutes later.

 

Itoafa, who picked up a secondary assist on Portela’s goal, got one of his own. The speedy Olukanmi outraced his defender and the keeper, kept the ball from going over the end line and centered a pass to a wide open Itoafa who put the icing on the cake.

 

Needham added an insurance tally early in the second half as the Saints’ matched their four-goal output from their season opening win at Sacred Heart.

 

Needham led the way with four points on his two goals, while Itoafa added three (one goal, one assist) and Olukanmi dished out a pair of helpers. James Beeston and Tom Allen added two of the Saints’ seven assists in a 15-point match. With his third assist of the year and 24^th of his career, Beeston now stands one shy of tying Paul Laniewski’s ’87 all-time record of 25 assists.

 

Eric Jordan was the lone bright spot for the Hawks, sparing them a shutout with a goal in the 79^th minute.

 

Adam Myers made five saves for the Saints in improving to a perfect 3-0 on the season and 6-0 for his career.  

 

The Saints return to action Wednesday night for a 7 p.m. kickoff at crosstown rival UAlbany.