The Stevens men’s soccer team faced tough competition during last week’s schedule, where they faced off against SUNY New Paltz on Wednesday, September 18, followed by a game against Kean University on Saturday, September 21. Against New Paltz, the Ducks lost 0-1, and against Kean, the Ducks tied 0-0.
The game against New Paltz was truly a hard-fought game, even as the game was slated on the team’s schedule as a “Duck Challenge Game.” The Ducks held off New Paltz for the entire first half of the game, working together to stop shots from entering the goal early on in the game. Nine minutes into the first half, graduate student goalkeeper Guillermo Castaneda-Chang defended the goal from New Paltz’s first shot. In the 24th minute, the Ducks returned the favor, with senior Adam Berrocal’s shot on goal, marking the Ducks’ first shot on goal of the game. The teams went back and forth with shots, until in the 79th minute of the game, New Paltz finally took a shot that passed Castaneda-Chang and hit its mark, bringing New Paltz up to one goal. Although the Ducks were unable to score in this game, this game was played on the defensive end, where Castaneda-Chang managed to match his season-high in saves with five saves.
The game against Kean was equally a battle for the Ducks. Like the game against New Paltz, Castaneda-Chang stopped two shots on goal in both the 17th and 25th minute of the game. Keeping this momentum going on the offensive side of things, first-year Matthew Murillo took a shot in the 37th minute only to be stopped by Kean’s goalkeeper. For the remainder of the half, both teams battled for control of the ball in the midfield, unable to get a shot off. In the second half, during the 62nd minute of the game, junior Brian Babovic took the Ducks’ sole shot on goal that unfortunately ended up high over the goal.
These games bring the team’s overall record to two wins, two losses, and three ties as they prepare to head into conference play in October after hosting a game against the University of Rochester on September 28 at DeBaun Athletic Complex.
