Stony Brook blanks UNH behind Gobeil Cruz goal

September 30, 2011

Junior Berian Gobeil Cruz (Montreal, Quebec) took a pass from junior Kyle Schlesinger (Selden, N.Y.) and scored a goal in the second half to lift the Stony Brook men's soccer team to a 1-0 win over New Hampshire Friday in the America East opener for both teams.

Stony Brook improves to 5-4-2 on the season and 1-0-0 in America East. The Wildcats fall to 4-5-0 and 0-1-0 in the league.

"I thought it was a good performance on the road under difficult conditions," head coach Ryan Anatol said. "It was an all-around solid team effort."

Gobeil Cruz's goal came in transition after Seawolves junior goalkeeper Stefan Manz (Bronx, N.Y.) stopped a Brad Hilton shot in the 70th minute. Schlesinger played a ball out in the middle right portion of the field. He then fed Gobeil Cruz on the right side of the box, and the junior forward dribbled past his defender and blasted a shot into the left of the net past freshman UNH keeper Travis Worra.

Gobeil was named America East Player of the Game for his game-winning goal, which was his team-leading fourth goal of the season.

Two other Seawolves had very strong chances to score in the first half. Junior Leonardo Fernandes (Sao Paulo, Brazil) had a solid kick at the net that Worra just barely was able to get a hand on and push it over the crossbar. Junior Raphael Abreu beat his defender late in the first half and put on a good shot, but Worra made a diving save.

Towards the end of the match, Stony Brook's defense, led by senior captain Kyle McTurk (Hauppauge, N.Y.) tightened up and allowed only one header shot that went wide of the net.

Junior Stefan Manz (Bronx, N.Y.) made five saves in earning his second shutout of the season and 11th of his career.

The Seawolves come home for two games, beginning next Thursday, Oct. 6, against Vermont at LaValle Stadium at 7 p.m.