Wednesday, October 3
Owen T. Carroll Field (South Orange, N.J.)
7:00 PM
Seton Hall University
2
vs
1
Providence
Pirates Top Providence College, 2-1
10/4/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - On an uncharacteristically temperate October evening in northern New Jersey, the Seton Hall men's soccer team made sufficient use of their offensive chances en route to a 2-1 victory over BIG EAST adversary Providence College.
With the win, Seton Hall (5-5-0, 1-1-0) improved both their overall and conference record to .500 on the season.
The Pirates struck quickly, getting on the board first in stylish fashion. Making his seventh-consecutive start, junior George Velasquez (Union City, N.J.) controlled the ball in the attacking third and played his classmate Christian Battistesa (South Bound Brook, N.J.) in behind the Friars' backline. Battistesa fired from the edge of the area, keeping his shot low and beating PC keeper Keasel Broome far post to give Seton Hall a 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the action.
The goal was the second of the year for Battistesa and came off the second assist that Velasquez has tallied this season. It was also the fastest goal that SHU has scored through its first 10 matches.
The rebuttal from the visitors yielded several promising chances to equalize in the first period, but each was denied by a determined Pirate defense. In the 19th minute, Seton Hall starting goalkeeper Kevin Bonder (Whippany, N.J.) sprung off his line and got his fist on an incoming cross, but went down to the turf after a collision.
Off the deflection, PC midfielder Phil Ziegler attempted to hammer it into the vacated net, but a well-positioned Julian Kennedy (Nindorf, Germany) was stationed at the near post for a deflection to preserve the lead.
Less than a minute later, Bonder got down well to stop a rocket that stemmed from a set piece, quelling the Friars' surge.
With slightly less than a half hour gone, the Pirates narrowly missed an opportunity to double their advantage as a dangerous-looking Velasquez again connected with Battistesa. Velasquez played Battistesa into the box, but his errant touch missed both the net and a rushing Max Garcia (Jersey City, N.J.).
Bonder would be called upon to make one more sprawling save before the break, but the strike from Battistesa held up as the difference going into the intermission.
Following the second half whistle, the Pirates struggled to maintain possession, resulting in several quality looks for the PC attack. In the 57th minute, the black and white clad visitors finally drew level when Ziegler found the Friars' top goal scorer, Keith Jecewiz. Jecewiz gathered and beat Bonder for his third goal of the year to even the score at 1-1.
In the ensuing moments, the Pirate keeper played a large role in keeping the teams on level terms as he made two crucial saves. The first came when he closed down the angle on the near post to deny Ziegler from in close. Five minutes later, Bonder was forced to go full stretch to keep Jecewiz from doubling his tally.
After failing to threaten for most of the half, SHU took full advantage of its first real chance of the period. Sophomore Konrad Plewa (Maniowy, Poland) carried the ball into the offensive zone and sent Velasquez in on net. Velasquez, who commanded attention throughout the match, collected the ball and proceeded to calmly chip the ball over the head of Broome to put the Pirates on top for good.
The goal was the first of the year for the Union City native who finished the night with a career-best three points to lead the Pirates to their first BIG EAST victory of the season.
For the game, the Friars (2-7-1, 0-3-0) outshot The Hall 14-9.
Seton Hall will look to make it two in a row when it returns to Owen T. Carroll Field on Saturday, Oct. 6, to take on divisional foe Pittsburgh. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. under the lights.
With the win, Seton Hall (5-5-0, 1-1-0) improved both their overall and conference record to .500 on the season.
The Pirates struck quickly, getting on the board first in stylish fashion. Making his seventh-consecutive start, junior George Velasquez (Union City, N.J.) controlled the ball in the attacking third and played his classmate Christian Battistesa (South Bound Brook, N.J.) in behind the Friars' backline. Battistesa fired from the edge of the area, keeping his shot low and beating PC keeper Keasel Broome far post to give Seton Hall a 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the action.
The goal was the second of the year for Battistesa and came off the second assist that Velasquez has tallied this season. It was also the fastest goal that SHU has scored through its first 10 matches.
The rebuttal from the visitors yielded several promising chances to equalize in the first period, but each was denied by a determined Pirate defense. In the 19th minute, Seton Hall starting goalkeeper Kevin Bonder (Whippany, N.J.) sprung off his line and got his fist on an incoming cross, but went down to the turf after a collision.
Off the deflection, PC midfielder Phil Ziegler attempted to hammer it into the vacated net, but a well-positioned Julian Kennedy (Nindorf, Germany) was stationed at the near post for a deflection to preserve the lead.
Less than a minute later, Bonder got down well to stop a rocket that stemmed from a set piece, quelling the Friars' surge.
With slightly less than a half hour gone, the Pirates narrowly missed an opportunity to double their advantage as a dangerous-looking Velasquez again connected with Battistesa. Velasquez played Battistesa into the box, but his errant touch missed both the net and a rushing Max Garcia (Jersey City, N.J.).
Bonder would be called upon to make one more sprawling save before the break, but the strike from Battistesa held up as the difference going into the intermission.
Following the second half whistle, the Pirates struggled to maintain possession, resulting in several quality looks for the PC attack. In the 57th minute, the black and white clad visitors finally drew level when Ziegler found the Friars' top goal scorer, Keith Jecewiz. Jecewiz gathered and beat Bonder for his third goal of the year to even the score at 1-1.
In the ensuing moments, the Pirate keeper played a large role in keeping the teams on level terms as he made two crucial saves. The first came when he closed down the angle on the near post to deny Ziegler from in close. Five minutes later, Bonder was forced to go full stretch to keep Jecewiz from doubling his tally.
After failing to threaten for most of the half, SHU took full advantage of its first real chance of the period. Sophomore Konrad Plewa (Maniowy, Poland) carried the ball into the offensive zone and sent Velasquez in on net. Velasquez, who commanded attention throughout the match, collected the ball and proceeded to calmly chip the ball over the head of Broome to put the Pirates on top for good.
The goal was the first of the year for the Union City native who finished the night with a career-best three points to lead the Pirates to their first BIG EAST victory of the season.
For the game, the Friars (2-7-1, 0-3-0) outshot The Hall 14-9.
Seton Hall will look to make it two in a row when it returns to Owen T. Carroll Field on Saturday, Oct. 6, to take on divisional foe Pittsburgh. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. under the lights.
2024-25 End-of-Year Highlight Video
Thursday, May 22
Seton Hall Basketball Facility Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Thursday, March 27
PSN Feature on Allie Waggoner, Seton Hall's First NCAA Women's Championship Qualifier
Friday, March 21
Seton Hall Basketball - Catalon, Masonius, Bozzella After Quinnipiac (WBIT)
Friday, March 21
