LOUDONVILLE, NY – Group hugs, pinpoint passes and strong finishes underscored the day for the Siena Men's Soccer team as the Saints blanked LIU 3-0 on Tuesday at Hickey Field.
Siena put six of its nine shots on goal and held LIU scoreless despite 13 shots, with five saves over 90 minutes.
Lucas Almeida scored the winning goal,
Campbell Stalker and
Sean Kelly each scored and
Bennet Glinder recorded five saves over 90 minutes and finished with a shutout.
Siena improved to 2-3-1 overall while LIU dropped to 0-5-0 overall.
Siena struck 2:36 into the first half, when Almeida scored off
Ben Biton's beautiful leading assist on a "run and go get it" past all defenders to open a 1-0 lead. LIU generated pressure after that, but Glinder made three saves in the first 20 minutes as Siena kept the visitors off the board. The Saints also played through a physical stretch, committing several early fouls before earning a corner kick in the 32nd minute. The match grew choppy again late with fouls from both sides and a LIU yellow card, but Siena reached halftime ahead 1-0.
Siena extended its 1-0 lead at 49:36 when Stalker scored off
Luca Wust's assist on a corner kick then made it 3-0 at 57:06 on Kelly's goal from
Benjamin Fogarty. It marked Kelly's first career goal in the Green & Gold as he worked his way through traffic and found the left corner of the goal.
Earlier in the half, Glinder saved a LIU shot at 45:14, and Siena responded with saved attempts from
Ingvar Kolbjornsen and
Antonio Vicente before earning a corner at 49:00. After Stalker's goal, Siena kept creating chances with a saved Almeida shot, a 54:24 corner and a
Jacob Humienny attempt. LIU later had five shots and two corners from 63:29 to 68:04, but Glinder saved Alex Juszczak's try and Siena did not concede during the stretch. Siena added late looks from Almeida and
Lucas Toennessen Soeraas, whose shot hit the right woodwork at 82:25, and the half ended with Siena completing a 3-0 win.
Up next, Siena visits Fairfield (2-1-2) this Saturday at 6 p.m. at Lessing Field in Fairfield, Connecticut to open Metro play.
