Box Score FROSTBURG, Md. – The Manhattanville men's soccer team won the opening game of their 2014 campaign in dramatic fashion, defeating Alfred University 2-1 in double-overtime. Senior midfielder
Michael Alcaraz (Burbank, Calif./Burbank) provided the offensive spark for the Valiants, scoring the first goal and assisting on the game-winner.
It didn't take long for the Valiants to open the scoring on the season as Alcaraz drew a penalty in the box just eight minutes into the contest. Calmly, Alcaraz placed his penalty shot past Alfred goalkeeper Eric Witkowski to give the Valiants an early 1-0 lead.
"We started the game very well and certainly deserved to take the early lead" exclaimed head coach
Gregg Miller. "To be honest, I thought we would score again and had a couple of very good chances to do so, but a couple decisions didn't go our way and we lost our shape a little after they equalized."
The teams traded shots and scoring opportunities until a takedown inside the Manhattanville 18-yard box resulted in a penalty kick for the Saxons. Senior forward Jeff Thomas converted the penalty, evening the score at 1-1 at the 22
nd minute mark.
Junior goalkeeper
Steve Singson (Deer Park, N.Y./St. Anthony's) returned for the season in great form and made several big saves throughout the game to keep the score even. Finishing the game with six saves on seven shots, including a crucial stop in the first period of extra time.
The game-winning goal came off the foot of sophomore midfielder
Jamie Macchia (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa), after settling a long throw-in from Alcaraz. The goal is the second game-winning goal of Macchia's Valiant career.
The maturity of last year's large group of freshman players was apparent to Coach Miller, "…last year we maybe didn't have the maturity and this one might have got away from us … The important thing now is to get ourselves read to go again tomorrow with very limited rest."
The Valiants now have a quick turnaround as they take on Frostburg State, who defeated Juniata 1-0 in 2OT earlier today, in the championship game of the Frostburg State University Tournament tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
