Box Score
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - With a five goal eruption in upstate New York, the Manhattan men's soccer team, led by head coach Jorden Scott, grabbed its first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) win of the fall, as the squad defeated Niagara 5-0 in snowy conditions on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Jaspers improve to 2-11-2 overall, including a 1-7-1 record against league opponents. Niagara falls to 5-11-2, and 2-6-1 in MAAC play, with the loss.
Senior forward Eugene Heerschap's strike in the 10th minute proved to be the decisive blow. Senior midfielder and captain Tommy Amos put Heerschap through on a run. The forward found himself running in all alone at Niagara freshman goalkeeper Steve Casey. Heerschap beat the freshman, for his second strike of the season, to put the Jaspers up a goal. From that point on, Manhattan would dominate.
Amos played exceptionally well and put in his best performance of the season. The senior scored one goal and assisted on three others, totaling a game-high 5 points on the afternoon.
Just under two minutes after Heerschap provided the opening goal, sophomore midfielder Andrew Melitsanopoulos struck to put Manhattan up by two. The Jaspers earned a corner kick in the 12th minute that junior captain Alex Shackley took. Shackley played the ball to Amos, who crossed it into the box for junior center back Abraham Bartoah. Bartoah headed the ball onward to Melitsanopoulos, who provided a delicate finish to make it 2-0.
In the 16th minute, the Jaspers capped off their run of three goals in relatively rapid succession, when Amos blasted a sublime strike from upwards of 30 yards out. The senior received a ball from Heerschap along the left side and connected sweetly to give his team a 3-0 edge and certain control of the match.
Just before the stroke of halftime, Manhattan would add another goal, this time from senior side back Jake Scavetta. Freshman forward Moosah Khanat won a corner for Manhattan. Shackley provided excellent service on the corner that found Scavetta near the far post, leaving the senior defender to volley the ball into goal to make the score 4-0.
In the second half, Shackley put an exclamation mark on the match when he netted his team leading third goal of the fall. Amos received the ball and swung a cross into the box that landed near Shackley, who finished from close range.
Despite not showing up on the scoresheet, freshman forward Ajani Phillips was called into an important role in a forward position and played very well in creating space for others.
Bartoah and fellow center back, freshman Joe Hulme, were fantastic along the back line, allowing just one shot on target over the course of 90 minutes. Sophomore starting goalkeeper Alex Coates McDowall made one save en route to his third clean sheet of the season.
Manhattan returns to action on Wednesday night, when the squad hosts Iona for a 7 p.m. match on Senior Night at Gaelic Park. The contest will mark the team's final game of the fall. Prior to opening kickoff, seniors Amos, Heerschap, Scavetta, Reese Akers, Andrew Santos and Sean Towey will be recognized for their hardwork and commitment to the program.
