Men’s Soccer Tops Old Westbury 2-1 on Wed., Earns First-Round Bye

 Written by Andrew Capitelli (SJC-LI Sports Information)

Patchogue, NY| Michael Flynn scored twice as the St. Joseph's College (L.I.) men's soccer team earned a 2-1 win over SUNY Old Westbury in its regular season finale at Danzi Stadium on Wednesday evening. With the win, the Golden Eagles finish the season with a 9-10-1 (7-2-1 Skyline) record and earn a first-round by in the Skyline Conference playoffs.

Old Westbury boats 6-9-2 (4-4-2 Skyline) record and finishes the season in eighth place.

Senior Andrew Stasiewicz recorded the match's first shot in the 15th minute of a sloppy first half, but the midfielder's attempt failed to test the keeper as it dribbled just wide of the right post. Six minutes later, SJC forward Alex Guadagno made a diagonal run into the box and fired a shot from the right side, but saw his attempt blocked in front by and Old Westbury defender.

Midfielder Justin Heredia had an opportunity to break the deadlock and put the Golden Eagles up in the 29th minute, when the ball fell to him in the box after a broken play, but again the Old Westbury defense came to the aid of keeper Peter Sicardi and parried the attempt.

A left-sided cross from midfielder Dan Cheeseman in the dying minutes of the first half teased St. Joseph's attackers, but nobody was able to get on the end of it. As a result, the two sides entered halftime scoreless with shots tilted in favor of the Golden Eagles (10-6).

St. Joseph's continued to apply pressure in the second half, registering the frame's first shot and winning its first corner, but Old Westbury would break the scoring ice in the 60th minute, when Ronald Monge played a through ball to Seaton Cole, who beat SJC keeper Avery Gomez on a breakaway.

The Golden Eagles responded immediately in the 61st minute, when Flynn pounced on Sicardi's dropped ball in the box to tie the score at one. Flynn would strike again in the 65th minute, when he stormed down the left flank before cutting inside and curling a shot around the keeper from just outside the box to put the Golden Eagles up 2-1.

The Panthers would turn up the pressure and find the back of the net in the 75th minute, but the goal was called back for offside. Just one minute later, Jon Kirby broke down the right flank, but fired his shot just wide of the near post.

Old Westbury pushed high in the final five minutes or regulation, but left its defense exposed. As a result, St. Joseph's generated more chances in the last moments of the match. The Golden Eagles did well to neutralize the midfield and claimed the 2-1 victory.

In a match that saw his side outshoot the opposition 22-10, Gomez made three saves in comparison to Sicaridi's 12.

Flynn tore up the left flank for the Golden Eagles, while Heredia and Innamorato held the ball up well in midfield.

St. Joseph's will return to action on Wednesday, November 4 when they host a Skyline Conference semifinal match. The opponent and time are yet to be determined.