Segundo Navarro Hat Trick Powers Men's Soccer Past Mount St. Mary's, 3-1

Friday, October 18

3 pm

Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics

2-8-2, 1-2-2

Mount St. Mary's

6-6-0, 2-2-0

Mount St. Mary's

Sacred Heart

Segundo Navarro Hat Trick Powers Men's Soccer Past Mount St. Mary's, 3-1

10/18/2019 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Segundo Navarro netted just the second hat trick in Sacred Heart men's soccer's Div. I program history, leading the way for the Pioneers in a 3-1 home win over Mount St. Mary's on Friday afternoon from Park Ave Field. The win is the first league win of the season for SHU who improve to 2-8-2 overall and 1-2-2 in NEC play while the Mountaineers drop to 6-6 overall and 2-2 in the NEC.

Navarro's accomplishment is a momentous occasion for the Pioneers as he joins Jason Tessitore as the only other player in SHU history to net a hat trick since joining the NCAA Div. I ranks in 1999. This victory also continues the Pioneers' dominance of the Mountaineers as SHU is now 8-4-4 all-time against Mount St. Mary's and are riding an eight-game win streak in games played against their NEC foe.

FIRST HALF (1-0 SHU)

Navarro broke free for a wonder goal in the 14^th minutes as CJ Weinstein sent a deep ball upfield that was corralled by the sophomore near the far corner. Navarro then did the rest of the work himself, as he dribbled through several defenders before powering home a left-footed shot into the opposite corner as Mount St. Mary's keeper Riccardo Zonta was left flailing and the Pioneers were ahead 1-0
Mount St. Mary's pressed for an equalizer in the remaining 30+ minutes of the half but the SHU defense and keeper Robert Strain (four saves in the first half) proved up to the task to keep the Pioneers ahead by one at the half

SECOND HALF (3-1 SHU)

An explosive three-goal second half saw the Pioneers strike first as Weinstein again lofted a pass over the top of the Mountaineer midfield to a streaking Navarro in the Mount St. Mary's defensive half. Navarro took one dribble to his right and then fired home a low blast into the opposite corner as he gave SHU a 2-0 lead in the 51^st minute of play
Trailing by two, the Mountaineers wouldn't go away quietly as a Pioneer foul in their own box had the referee whistle for a penalty kick. Yann Kouemi stepped up and went low and to his left as Strain wasn't able to get a hand on the shot, making it 2-1 Pioneers with 34+ minutes to play
Even with the added pressure, SHU got the insurance marker they so desperately needed as a Pioneer counterattack was broken up by a Mountaineer foul just outside their defensive box. With plenty of options, Navarro stepped up and fired home a right-footed looping shot that carried over the Mountaineer wall and into the top left corner of the net, sealing his hat trick and putting SHU back up by two
Navarro's third goal of the day was all SHU needed as the Pioneer defense limited Mount St. Mary's down the stretch just one shot attempt on-target in the final 28+ minutes of the contest

NOTES

Navarro came in with three of the four goals scored for SHU on the season and only continued his dominance in the course of the action, striking for his first career hat trick and just the second-ever for SHU in the program's Div. I era
Navarro joins Jason Tessitore as the lone two Pioneers to register a hat trick at the Div. I level as Tessitore struck for his three goals at Long Island back on Oct. 28, 2007
Navarro ups his season goal total to six through 12 games on the season, giving him 12 goals and 27 points through 29 career games as a Pioneer
Weinstein dished out his first career multi-point game as he posted assists on two of the Navarro goals, sending deep passes over the top of the Mountaineer defense that later turned into goals
In Weinstein's career, he now has four assists through 40 career appearances
SHU's back line of Yoann Toko, Giuseppe Martinelli, Brennan Hughes and Jack Mulhare were tremendous throughout, limiting a Mountaineer offense that came in with 18 goals through 11 games this season to just one penalty kick goal and six shots on-goal in the course of the 90 minutes
Strain made five saves in the net for SHU to earn his second victory of the season and the 13^th of his career with the Pioneers
Time of possession favored Mount St. Mary's 61-39 percent at the half but the goal ended in just a 54-46 percent edge in favor of the Mountaineers
Shots favored Mount St. Mary's slightly 15-14 but the Pioneers held a 9-6 advantage in shots on-target
Corners (4-4) and fouls (20-20) were both even for each side in the match

NEXT GAME

The Pioneers head back on the road for a crucial three-game road stretch in which SHU faces Robert Morris (Oct. 25), Saint Francis U (Oct. 27) and St. Francis Brooklyn (Nov. 3) before returning home for the regular season finale against CCSU (Nov. 10).