La Plume, PA – Neumann University scored a pair of second half goals to overcome an early, 1-0 deficit on Saturday afternoon at Keystone College and remain unbeaten in Colonial States Athletic Conference men's soccer action this fall with a 2-1 victory over the Giants. Tben Donnie scored both goals for the Knights, who improve to 7-8-1 overall and an unblemished, 7-0 in conference play while Keystone slides to 8-7 this fall and 2-5 in the CSAC.
The Giants now must win its final two regular season games and get some help in order to qualify for the CSAC playoffs for the second-straight season.
Keystone jumped out to a dream start in Saturday afternoon's game, taking a 1-0 lead just 48 seconds into the contest on a goal by
Alex Buchholz (Mountain Top, PA/Crestwood).
Eddy Enowbi (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) started the play by holding off several Neumann defenders with the ball before slotting a pass back to Buchholz, who chipped a shot over Knights goalkeeper Dan Jones and in off of the crossbar. Buchholz's goal was his fourth tally of the season while Enowbi's assist was his sixth helper of the season and marked his CSAC-leading 32
nd point of the fall.
Despite being outshot 5-1 in the opening 45 minutes of play, Keystone would hold the one-goal advantage at halftime thanks to a pair of saves from
Anthony Cutillo (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) along with the crossbar, which denied a potential equalizer for Neumann just minutes after Buchholz's goal.
Neumann was able to beat Cutillo in the 57
th minute when Donnie escaped his mark on a restart and headed in a long throw-in from Vince Cortese to level the contest at 1-1. Moments later, Cortese found himself all alone eight yards from goal, but Cutillo made a spectacular save to keep the game deadlocked. At the other end,
Julio Pertuz (Caracas, Venezuela/EU Noestra Senora de las Mercedes) curled a shot just wide of the far post from the top of the box for the Giants best opportunity of the second half.
The Knights were able to forge a lead in the 83
rd minute when Abu Donzo lofted a ball into the Giants penalty area that Donnie was able to flick over Cutillo and into the back of the net for what would prove to be the game-winning goal.
For the game, Neumann held a 14-7 advantage in shots including a 6-2 edge in shots on goal. The Knights also had eight corner kicks to three for the Giants.
Jones picked up the win in goal for the visitors after making one save while Cutillo was charged with the loss despite making four saves on the afternoon.
Keystone returns to action on Tuesday afternoon with a must-win CSAC game at local rival Baptist Bible College. Opening kickoff between the Giants and Defenders is slated for 1:30 p.m. in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.