RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Facing one of their toughest opponents of the season, Manhattan College fought back from a first half deficit but was unable to equal the score in a 5-1 loss to Jacksonville University Sunday.
The second contest in three days for the Jaspers (0-5-0), competing in the Stetson Soccer Classic in DeLand, Fla., pitted one of the youngest teams in the Metro Atlantic Conference against one of the most experienced in the Atlantic Sun. While Manhattan showed great fight and determination, they were simply no match for the veteran-laden Dolphins' (4-2-1) squad.
Behind two goals from senior forward Nedim Hrustic and one from junior Tyler Williams, Jacksonville surged to a 3-0 first half lead, forcing Manhattan to play from behind for much of the game. While the Green and White would cut the opposition's advantage to two in the second half on freshman Carlo Giachino's first collegiate goal, it would be the closest they would come to tying the score.
"We showed great fight after being down 3-0 at half," coach Ashley Hammond said. "I'm really proud of the effort in exceptionally hot weather but once again clinical finishing won out."
With a methodical start to the game, it looked as though the affair would be one with few goals, however in the 32nd minute; the Dolphins' attack awoke from its slumber.
On a long pass across the top of the box from senior midfielder Wesley Lartery, Hrustic found himself open in space and launched a ball past Jaspers' freshman goaltender Christopher Lands for his first goal of the year and a 1-0 lead. Lands, finished with three saves before being replaced by sophomore Christopher Todd, who had two.
Eight minutes after his first strike, the senior leader was at it again. After Williams had his shot deflected in front of the net,
Hrustic corralled the rebound and sent it to the far back post for a 2-0 score, his second of the half.
Just before halftime, Jacksonville added to the lead. Assisting on the previous attempt, this time Williams was the beneficiary of a pass from Lartery, which he tapped inside the far left post for his first and a three-goal separation at 3-0.
While they could have packed it in, the Jaspers came out fired up in the second half and got on the board in the 61st minute. Off a cross from junior forward Deia Nassar, Giachino broke through the middle and struck a ball behind sophomore goalkeeper Zach Greenwald, to cut the score to 3-1.
A high-octane offense, the Atlantic Sun leader would quickly answer back to end the Jaspers' run. In the 73rd minute, junior Daniele Campailla ran past Manhattan's backline and finished a through ball from fellow classmate Predrag Ivanovic to make the score 4-1, and increase his goal total to three.
In the 82nd minute, Jacksonville put an exclamation point on an impressive afternoon. After a shot from Campailla hit the crossbar, freshman Trey Collins sprinted into the box and knocked the rebound past a diving Todd for his first and the 5-1 final score.
Despite being outshot 20-14, the Jaspers had a season high 10 players with at least one shot and an away game high of six shots on goal.
Although the team didn't pick up a win this weekend, two Jaspers will return to Riverdale with something to show for their efforts. Freshman back Erick Montinard and senior forward Sean Russell were named to the Stetson Soccer Classic All-Tournament Team.
The Jaspers will take two weeks off before heading across town to take on rival Fordham University on October 2nd at 7 p.m.
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