Box Score Boxscore
HOBOKEN N.J. – The Manhattanville Valiants men's soccer team was knocked out of the 2011 NCAA Tournament by the score of 1-0 by SUNY Brockport at the De Baun Athletic Field in Hoboken, N.J.
Entering the game both sides received Pool C at-large selections to the NCAA Tournament and faced off with the Valiants as the higher seed. Through the first 45 minutes of play each side tried to penetrate one another's defense with no success.
The best opportunity for Manhattanville came in the 39th minute of the first period when junior forward Eros Olazabal (Milton, Ontario/Bishop Reding) spun around and took a hard shot that rang off the crossbar.
After the halftime break the Valiants had more control of the offensive possessions as both Olazabal and senior Keston George (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago/Victory Christian Academy) took several chances that were stopped brilliantly by Brockport goalkeeper Kyle Sauln.
The best chance for Brockport came off a free kick just outside the 18-yard box that was attempted to be flicked away by a header by junior defender Marco Blasetti (Yonkers, N.Y./Rye Country Day) that went the wrong direction and hit off the Valiant crossbar above the head of graduate goalkeeper Jason Torres (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison).
With time continuing to wind towards the end of regulation the Valiants committed a foul with just less than five minutes remaining, with the ensuing free kick to be taken by Brian Duffy of Brockport. With a wall of players standing in front of him Duffy kicked the ball through the vacant position in the wall that spun towards the right post away from Torres and into the back of the goal.
Manhattanville mustered off several more chances in the remaining time but with no luck as the Valiant went on to fall by a score of 1-0.
With the loss the Valiants season comes to an end with a 15-4-1 record. In goal for Manhattanville Torres made five saves in the losing effort to fall individually to 13-4-1, Sauln collected the win making four saves.
Shots were in favor of Manhattanville at a 17-12 margin, with 11 of the 17 coming in the second half. Shots on goal however, were in favor of Brockport at 6-4. Corner kicks were also in favor of the Valiants at 3-1.
With the win Brockport (12-3-1) advances to Round 2 of the NCAA Tournament to take on Stevens. The Ducks defeated Lehman earlier in the afternoon by a score of 3-0.
