Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
0-5-1
Rhode Island
3-3-1
Second-Half Rally Pushes Rhode Island Past Pioneers 3-1
9/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
KINGSTON, R.I. – The Sacred Heart men's soccer team scored first Wednesday night against the Rhode Island Rams at URI Soccer Complex, but the Rams tied the game late in the first half and added two more tallies for a 3-1 win.
Sacred Heart (0-5-1) controlled the game early, putting a shot on goal in the first two minutes. Shaquile Saunchez (Kingston, Jamaica) fired a shot that was saved by Rhode Island goalkeeper Nils Leifhelm. In the seventh minute, the Pioneers broke through for the game's first goal. Nick Zorbo (Baldwin, N.Y.) played a ball into the 18-yard box to Dylan Santos (Rahway, N.J.), who headed the ball to an open Ermir Celaj (Brookfield, Conn.). Celaj then shot the ball past Leifhelm to give Sacred Heart a 1-0 lead.
Rhode Island (3-3-1) had its first shot of the game in the 12th minute as Matt Sykes put a shot on goal off of a corner kick, saved by Sacred Heart goalkeeper Tucker Hackett (Madison, Conn.). The Rams had two more shots in the 13th and 18th minutes, but both missed the target. In the 42nd minute, Hackett had to make two saves in seven seconds to keep the game at 1-0. However, Rhode Island tied the game in the 44th minute. Wesley Matthews put a Trevor Moran low and inside the left post to make the game 1-1 heading into halftime.
The Rams took the lead five minutes into the second half when Carlo Davids blasted a shot from 20 yards out past Hackett to make the score 2-1. In the 52nd minute, Hackett made a save on a Ryan Oakley shot. Thirty-eight seconds later, Adam Camillo hit the crossbar. Rhode Island extended its lead to 3-1 in the 60th minute. Rainer Randell took a shot from 25 yards out that found the inside of the near post. Sacred Heart had its first shot of the second half come in the 73rd minute when Ezra Siyadhuba (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) put a shot over the goal. The Pioneers only mustered one more shot in the game as Jamal Vinson (Teaneck, N.J.) pushed a header wide in the 88th minute.
Rhode Island outshot Sacred Heart 16-6 for the game, putting eight shots on goal to the Pioneers' three. Hackett made five saves for Sacred Heart as Leifhelm had two for Rhode Island.
Sacred Heart returns to Campus Field on Saturday, Sept. 20 for a 7 p.m. game against Holy Cross.
Team Stats
CELAJ, Ermir (1)
Assisted By: SANTOS, Dylan , ZORBO, Nick
ball into box by 4, header pass by 13, s
6:37
MATTHEWS, Wesley (1)
Assisted By: RANDELL, Rainer
inside the box to lower left corner
43:27
DAVIDS, Carlo (1)
Assisted By: SYKES, Matt
blast from 20 yards out
49:56
RANDELL, Rainer (1)
Assisted By: DAVIDS, Carlo
shot to near post from 25 yards out
59:12
