PURCHASE, N.Y. – Taking on a Skyline Conference foe for the first time in 2022, the Manhattanville College men's soccer team used a four goal second half to defeat Saint Joseph's-Brooklyn on Thursday night. The win moves the Valiants' overall record on the season to 3-3-1.
While the Bears would score in the 14
th minute and hold the lead into halftime, Manhattanville would score all four of their goals in a ten minute span to completely shift the contest. The scoring began in the 52
nd minute as
Jostyn Blanco (Norwalk, CT/Brien Mcmahon High School) provided the Valiants the equalizer off an assist from
Demba Cham (Bronx, NY/World View High School). The tally was the sophomore Blanco's first of the year, while Cham notched his first helper of the campaign.
Eight minutes later, the Valiants went on a scoring barrage with three goals across just two minutes.
Trevor Henderson (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) put the home team ahead in the 60
th minute as
Michael Mezzina (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Morris Catholic) set the senior up beautifully off a free kick opportunity. Mezzina's feed met Henderson streaking towards the net who was able to fire home what would prove to be the game-winning goal.
A minute and a half later, Henderson added an insurance goal for good measure.
Chris Germain (Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y./Cornwall Central) earned control of the ball to the right side of the box and was able to slip a pass between a trio of Bears defenders to find Henderson wide open on the doorstep, who was able to knock it in to the upper left corner with his second of the night.
Blanco would bookend the scoring attack in the 62
nd minute as Henderson was once again involved, this time earning an assist. Blanco collected the pass a fired a shot towards Bear netminder Leonel Bravo. Bravo appeared to make the save, but the ball caromed off the keeper's hands and rolled into the net to put the Valiants up by three.
In all, the Valiants outshot the Bears 17-6, including 9-0 in the second half as Manhattanville completed the comeback. Luis Grandos made two saves in the first half, with his lone blemish coming on Saint Joseph's goal scored by Victor Naci in the first half. The Valiants held a 7-4 advantage in corner kicks.
Up Next
With the first conference match under their belts, the Valiants now get ready for action on Saturday. It will be a rematch of the 2021 Skyline Championship Finals as Manhattanville takes on Mount Saint Vincent at 7:30 p.m. The match will take place at Purchase College.
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