NORTH ARLINGTON, N.J. — The Manhattanville University men's soccer team showed grit and determination on Wednesday evening, battling back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2–2 draw against Yeshiva University in the Valiants' conference opener.
The Maccabees (0-3-2, 0-1-2) jumped ahead early when Hadar Lavinsky struck just before the 16th minute, off an assist from David Abittan. Lavinsky doubled the advantage just eight minutes later with another goal, putting Manhattanville down 0-2.
Despite the early setback, the Valiants (2-3-1, 0-0-1) created several strong looks before halftime. Alec Pineda (Yonkers, N.Y./Port Chester) led the attack, including a strong shot in the 20th minute that forced a save from Yeshiva goalkeeper Ilan Ganem. Kyle Knussman (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) and Keanu Stingone (Kew Gardens, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) also had close-called goals late in the half, though Manhattanville entered the break still trailing 0-2.
The second half belonged to the Valiants. In the 55th minute, Alex Rojas (Mastic, N.Y./William Floyd) broke through, after a setup from Lucas Fernandez (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) to cut the deficit in half 1-2. Building on the momentum, Manhattanville struck again shortly before the 67th minute when David Trujillo (Tampa, Fla./Plant) delivered a well-placed pass to Nickolas Pagan (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream North), who buried the equalizer to bring the score level at 2–2.
On the defensive end, the Valiants limited Yeshiva's opportunities, holding the Maccabees scoreless throughout the second half. The Valiants controlled play, outshooting Yeshiva 10–2 in the second half and 16–5 overall. Pineda remained a constant threat, finishing with six attempts, Rojas trailing with three, and Stingone added a second shot on goal as Manhattanville pressed for the winner.
Although Manhattanville generated several promising chances down the stretch, both teams held even 2-2.
Up Next:
Catch the Valiants back at home this Saturday September 13th as they face off against SUNY New Paltz at 12 PM
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