SAINTS SHUTOUT JOHNSON AND WALES 4-0

IN SEASON OPENER

Aug. 29: After scoring three unanswered goals in the first eleven minutes of the contest, the St. Lawrence University men’s soccer team gained a momentum that was unstoppable throughout the remainder of the 90 minute contest as they secured a 4-0 victory over Johnson and Wales University in the first game of the 2008 North Country Lotto Classic on Friday afternoon, held at Clarkson University.

The Saints begin the season with a 1-0-0 mark, while the Wildcats, who earned a bid to the 2007 NCAA Tournament last season, fall to 0-1-0 to start their 2008 campaign.

Senior midfielder and co-captain Ryan Moore (Keene, NH/Keene) found himself at the center of the action in the first half as he served two corners that the Scarlet and Brown were able to cash in on while also tallying a goal himself in just the first ten and a half minutes of the game.  In addition to Moore’s goal, sophomore back James Stewart (St. Davids, ONT/Sir Winston Churchill), senior co-captain Paul LaMarca (Mesa, AZ/Red Mountain), and senior midfielder Marco Falcon-Viale (South Salem, NY/John Jay) each tallied a goal in the Saints’ efforts.  Junior forward Emmanuel Mbong (Norman, OK/Norman) tallied two assists, while LaMarca and junior Reed Carr (Williston, VT/Champlain Valley Union) added one each.

 
After only a minute of play, it was evident that St. Lawrence was eager to be first up on the scoreboard, as Moore played a quick corner to Mbong, who threaded the ball to Stewart who found the back of the net past Wildcats’ keeper Joe Ferraro to score the first goal on the 2008 season for St. Lawrence, as the score read 1-0 with just 1:23 expired from the clock.

The Saints’ offense continued to dominate as they got back into scoring position as Moore set up his third corner of the contest nearly two minutes later finding the head of Mbong, who flicked it on to LaMarca, who beat the keeper low from inside the box to push the Saints ahead 2-0 just 3:48 into the game.

Moore’s goal came in the eleventh minute after Carr passed the ball to him from the corner, while Moore shot the groundball into the net to give the Saints a 3-0 advantage.  Carr’s assist was the first point of his collegiate career.

The contest also marked Falcon-Viale’s first collegiate point and goal, as the senior got the ball from LaMarca and sent it towards Ferraro, who was unable to stop the ball as it went through his hands and trickled in between the posts.  Falcon-Viale’s goal gave St. Lawrence a decisive 4-0 lead less than 21 minutes in and ended the Saints’ scoring rampage that highlighted the first half.

The remaining minutes of the half, as well as the last period of the contest, were not without excitement, as the Saints took 10 shots in the final 45 minutes, with Ferraro coming up big for Johnson and Wales and making some key saves.  St. Lawrence had seven corner opportunities throughout the game, while the Wildcats had only one in the second half.  The Scarlet and Brown outshot Johnson and Wales 19-3 and only allowed one shot on goal.

Saints’ keeper senior co-captain Emilio Coletta (Montreal, QUE/Marianapolis College) had one save in his first shutout of the season, but was an integral part of maintaining a strong defense by communicating with his teammates in the back who were able to keep the ball from going in the penalty box.  Ferraro tallied five saves, all coming in the second half.

St. Lawrence will play Fredonia State University, who also competed in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, tomorrow afternoon at noon in their second and final game of the Lotto Classic.