Men's soccer nets seven in blowout of Caldwell
CALDWELL, New Jersey - The American International College men's soccer team hit the road for the first time in 2021 and made the most of the trip, netting five first-half tallies en route to a 7-2 win over Caldwell University on Wednesday, September 14.
FAST FACTS:
Final Score: AIC 7, Caldwell 2
Records: AIC improves to 3-0-1 while Caldwell drops to 2-2-0
Location: Caldwell University Athletics Field, Caldwell, New Jersey
KEY STATS:
Caldwell:
Kevin Avila: One goal, one assist
Matthew Escobar: One goal
Jalen Folsom: Loss (2-2), three saves
AIC:
Mathis Pilon St. Louis: Two goals
Joseph Albano: Two goals
Josip Validzic: Two goals
Samir Regragui: Two assists
Anthony Boele: Two assists
Trym Rekkedal: One goal
Stefan Balan: One assist
Frans Dao: One assist
Lucas Morales-Fernandes: Win (3-0-1), three saves in 45:00
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- A tense opening ten minutes that featured three yellow cards gave way to the game's first goal as graduate student Samir Regragui lifted a free kick to the left post, where graduate student Stefan Balan dished across to classmate Josip Validzic for his third of the season at 9:57.
- The Yellow Jackets doubled the lead less than 10 minutes later; on a corner kick, Balan deflected the ball and freshman Mathis Pilon St. Louis charged onto it, ripping a shot into the top left of the cage for his third of the year at 18:56.
- Regragui was not done dishing out assists; he sent another corner kick into the area, and freshman Trym Rekkedal was there to strike home his first of the season at 28:21.
- Caldwell earned a red card in the 33rd minute and the Yellow Jackets made the hosts pay for it, as junior Anthony Boele set up St. Louis for his second of the game on a brilliant cross into the box at 35:26.
- A Cougars foul in the box Validzic his fourth penalty try in two games, and the striker was able to rock home his third of the season at 41:45, sending AIC into the break ahead 5-0.
- The hosts picked up their fifth card of the afternoon, a second red, in the 52nd minute, but they were able to strike down two men shortly after as Kevin Avila put home a loose ball after a miscue at 57:24.
- AIC restored the five-goal lead just over ten minutes later; sophomore Frans Dao laid a corner kick into the area that rookie Joseph Albano put home at 67:33.
- Boele and Albano combined to add a seventh tally to AIC's ledger, as the latter finished another cross into the box from the former at 73:27.
- Avila authored an assist of his own, feeding a pass in to Matthew Escobar for a goal at 77:27, leaving AIC five-goal winners with a 7-2 final.
A LONG TIME COMING:
- AIC had not struck for seven goals in a game in over 13 years as the Yellow Jackets defeated Lincoln University 8-1 on August 31, 2008.
- That game was the last time the Yellow Jackets had three players score twice in a game.
NEXT UP:
- AIC returns to Abdow Field on Saturday, September 18 to face the University of New Haven in the team's Northeast-10 Conference opener at 3:00 p.m.