Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Senior forward Trevor Chiduku scored in the 60th minute to help a class of four Manhattan seniors win their final home contest of their careers, 1-0 over Marist on Sunday morning. The victory has made the Jaspers (3-12-1; 3-3-1 MAAC) unbeaten in the last four matches including wins in three of the four.
The Red Foxes controlled the tempo of the match almost the full 90 minutes registering 22 shots in the game, 11 in each half. Six of those shots were on net but Jasper goalkeeper George Ellis was up to the task making all six saves to post his second shutout of the season.
The game was scoreless going in to the halftime break with Marist dominating possession throughout. Krystian Witkowski and Stephan Brossard each had quality chances to score but put their shots wide of the net. In the second half, the Red Foxes again came out with speed and pressure but the Jaspers were able to find counter attacks and put the ball on net.
In the 60th minute, Daniel Festa played a give-and-go with Deia Nassar. When Festa received the ball back, he chipped it to the top of the eight-meter box where Chiduku leaped to tip it with his right foot, floating the ball over Marist goalkeeper Steve Skonieczny. It is his second goal of the season, both being game winners.
The Jasper defense would continue to hold off the strong attacks of the Red Foxes to preserve the win. The victory was the first home win for the men's soccer program since Sept. 5, 2009 when they defeated Army 1-0, a streak of 19 contests. It also allowed seniors Christopher Holihan, Anthony Florez, Nassar and Chiduku to end their home careers with a win.
The four match unbeaten streak is the first time since 2001 that the team has reached that mark. In that season the Jaspers followed up a scoreless draw at Army with consecutive wins over Marist, at Canisius and at Niagara. The win also puts Manhattan alone in fifth place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) going in to the final weekend before the playoffs. The top six teams in the MAAC earn a first round bye at the tournament in Orlando, Fla. on Nov. 3-7.
Manhattan now goes on the road for their final two contests against the top two teams in the conference in Fairfield and Iona. They will first face the Stags in Farifield, Conn. on Fri. Oct. 28.
To follow Manhattan Athletics on Twitter, go to twitter.com/GoJaspers or visit Manhattan's Facebook fan page.
