Stony Brook takes 1-0 loss to Sacred Heart

September 15, 2011

The Stony Brook men's soccer team outshot Sacred Heart 16-8, but a Pioneers goal in the 70th minute sent the Seawolves to a 1-0 loss in the team's home opener Thursday night at LaValle Stadium.

"I was disappointed with the result, and I thought we didn't play to our full potential," head coach Ryan Anatol said. "We had enough chances to win the game, and we hit the post three times, but we need to learn how to finish our chances."

In the first half, Stony Brook had a few chances to put a goal on the scoreboard. Junior Antonio Crespi (North Babylon, N.Y) had a header shot in the 33rd minute that Pioneers goalkeeper Alex Fait made a strong save on. Late in the half, junior Leonardo Fernandes (Sao Paulo, Brazil) had a pair of strong chances. His 42nd minute shot was put on goal but saved by Fait, and then it appeared he had scored a goal as time expired, but the ball did not reach the net before the clock reached zero. The match went into halftime scoreless.

In the second half, Stony Brook continued to dominate most of the chances. Junior Berian Gobeil Cruz (Montreal, Quebec) stroked a shot in the 49th minute that rang off the post. He later had a 65th minute shot that Fait saved.

Sacred Heart ended the scoreless run with a free shot goal from Marcello Castro. After a Stony Brook foul, Castro took the free kick from approximately 30 yards out on the left near side of the field and sailed the kick to the top right shelf of the net as Seawolves junior goalkeeper Stefan Manz (Bronx, N.Y.) had no shot at saving the ball.

Stony Brook's last good chance came in the 80th minute as Fernandes snapped off a free kick 35 yards away, and senior Serigne Sylla (Dakar, Senegal) made a fantastic header in traffic, but the ball clanged off the post, barely missing the back of the net.

The Seawolves finished with five shots on goal that were all stopped by Fait. Manz made three saves in Stony Brook's net.

Stony Brook is back in action Sunday evening against Fairleigh Dickinson at LaValle Stadium at 5 p.m.