The men’s soccer team (5-4-2, CAA 2-0) moved above .500 for the first time since their opening day victory over Elon University, opening league play with two momentum-building victories at Albert-Daly Field. The first win came in a 1-0 victory over Hofstra University (1-6-2, CAA 0-2) Friday night, followed by a Sunday afternoon 2-1 overtime thriller against Northeastern University (2-7-0, CAA 0-2). Tribe sophomore midfielder Price Thomas recorded goals in each game while redshirt freshman goalie Andrew McAdams led the defense, allowing for only one score.
p. “It was good to get a shutout and a win,” Head Coach Chris Norris said. “It is good to get off to a good start in the league and important to have a good performance and get some confidence.”
Sunday’s victory over the Northeastern Huskies required overtime to determine the outcome. The College claimed a 2-1 victory when Tribe senior midfielder Doug Ernst buried his own rebound in the second minute of the first overtime.
p. Ernst took a pass from Koger and ripped a shot that was blocked by a Northeastern defensemen near the 18-yard box. After gathering his own rebound, Ernst placed the ball into the net behind helpless Huskies’ goalie Mahmoud Talaat to secure the victory for the Tribe.
p. “[Thomas] played a nice through ball to [Koger] who was running side by side with a defender. Alan got me the ball at the top of the 18. I took a shot, which was blocked by a defender and it popped over the goalie’s head and I was able to walk it in,” Ernst said. “It was very lucky.”
p. The only other score for the College came off of the foot of Thomas in the 20th minute after he cut back on a Northeastern defender, freeing himself up in front of Talaat before shooting the ball to the far post for the goal. Thomas now has four goals in his last five games.
p. Thomas’ goal against Hofstra came in the seventh minute of the match, when redshirt freshman goalkeeper McAdams kicked the ball most of the length of the field to redshirt freshman forward Alan Koger, who flicked his head, directing the ball to a streaking Thomas who beat a Hofstra defender and then the goalie.
p. “The ball came off of a long serve,” Thomas said. “Alan did all of the work to win it and I was able to beat the defender and slide it by the far post.”
p. The goal was the third of the year for Thomas, who tied Koger for the team lead before passing Koger with his fourth goal against Northeastern.
p. “It was a great win for us,” Thomas said. “They beat us in New York 3-0 last year. It is a dream scenario to get a win off the team that won the league last year.”
p. McAdams turned in his third shutout of the year while recording four saves, including a stop with 17 seconds left off of a Hofstra corner kick to preserve the win.
p. “Our defense has played so well. Guys are blocking shots and sacrificing their bodies,” McAdams said. “All three shutouts have been a team effort. Everyone is doing everything to keep the ball out of the net.”
p. The Tribe returns to the field Friday at 7 p.m. when they welcome James Madison University to Albert-Daly Field.
