Box Score
Riverdale, N.Y. -- Manhattan College men's soccer team scored in the first four minutes of the match, but couldn't hold on, giving up a winning own goal in the second half to fall to Siena College 2-1 in a match played Sunday morning at Gaelic Park.
Manhattan senior Stephen Van Rossem (Babylon, N.Y./Babylon H.S.) scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season at 3:44 of the first half, taking a pass and sprinting 30 yards to goal and unloading a shot that hit the upper right corner of the net. That gave the Jaspers an early 1-0 lead.
However, about eight minutes later, the Saints evened the score at 1-1. The tally came after a Siena player was fouled just outside the right side of the Manhattan penalty box and an ensuing free kick found the foot of Siena junior Joe Taverese, whose deflection landed on the foot of freshman Matthew Kadoch, who slammed the ball into the back of the net.
Both teams went back and forth in the first half, with Siena getting a bit more of the play, but the teams went into the halftime locker room tied at 1-1.
Manhattan grabbed more the possession early in the second half, getting a great opportunity to go ahead when an Anthony Florez cross found sophomore Deia Nassar streaking into the box, but Nassar's strike went high and wide.
Then, in the 73rd minute, a Siena cross found the head of a Manhattan midfielder who deflected the ball past Manhattan freshman goalkeeper Christopher Todd to give the Saints a 2-1 lead, a margin that would prove to hold up.
Manhattan had a great chance to tie the match with about three minutes to go, but a strong header by Nassar was saved by a diving stop from Siena freshman keeper Phil Chabot.
Siena (now 7-5-2 overall and 2-1-1 in the MAAC) outshout the Jaspers 14-5 during the match, with the Saint's Chabot making one save. Manhattan's Todd registered five saves.
Manhattan's (now 1-12-1 overall and 0-4-0 in the MAAC) takes to the road for two MAAC matches next weekend. On Friday, they go up the road to New Rochelle to take on Iona for a 3 p.m. match; then on Sunday, they travel to Fairfield for a 1 p.m. kickoff against Fairfield University.
