FLUSHING, N.Y. – Looking to conclude their homestand on a strong note Saturday afternoon the Queens College men's soccer team welcomed the Wildcats of Daemen University to Knights Field in East Coast Conference action.
Despite outshooting the Wildcats 10-1 in the first half, the Knights would go into the second half with the game scoreless before sophomore
Fortune Uzo (Valley Stream, N.Y.) scored his first goal as a Knight in the 50
th minute followed by junior
Harry Cooke (Market Drayton, England) sealing the game with a free kick opportunity in the 75
th minute of play as the Knights earned a 2-0 shutout victory over the Wildcats.
With the win, Queens improves to 8-4-1 overall, 5-0 in ECC play on the year. Saturday's win helped the Knights extend their lead in the All-Time series to 9-2 and a three-game win streak over Daemen.
HOW IT HAPPENED
It would be all Queens in the first half as the Knights outshot the Wildcats 10-1 but the Wildcats' defense would remain strong to keep the home side off the scoreboard.
In the opening 10 minutes of play, the Knights would record three shots with red-shirt sophomore
Tommy Wagner (East Northport, N.Y.) recording two shots including one shot on goal which would be denied by the Wildcats goalie in the third minute of play before the next two shots sailed out left.
The Wildcats would attempt a shot on goal in the 18
th minute but a timely save from Wagner would keep the game scoreless.
As Queens continued to dictate the passage of play, the Knights would rattle five shots on goal in the final 25 minutes of play but each time the Wildcats' defense would hold their ground as both teams went into halftime with the game scoreless.
The Knights would pick off where they left off in the first half and would quickly notch a shot on goal but sophomore
Andrew Johnson (Oakdale, N.Y) shot on goal would be denied just 42 seconds into the restart.
As Queens continued to press, Uzo would take advantage of a bad pass by the Daemen defense as the sophomore scored his first goal as a Knights with a shot into the bottom right corner in the 50
th minute of play as the Knights took an early 1-0 lead.
The Knights would continue to keep the Wildcats off the ball as they looked to double advantage.
Daemen on the counterattack in the 64
th minute of play would record their first shot on goal of the second half but a timely save from sophomore goalie
Thanasis Shehadeh (Nicosia, Cyprus) would keep the Knights' lead intact.
As the Wildcats earned a corner kick in the 65
th minute of play Shehadeh would notch his second save of the half to keep the shutout in play.
The Knights continuing to press would earn a free kick from the top of the 18-yard box as Cooke was fouled. The junior would step up and deliver with a goal into the bottom right corner as Queens took a commanding lead of 2-0 in the 75
th minute of play.
In the final 15 minutes of play, Shehadeh and his defense would hold the Wildcats to two shots as the Knights earned their fifth ECC victory of the year.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Uzo led the offense with his first goal and game-winning of the year for two points in the victory.
- Cooke recorded his team-leading 35th point of the year with his 15th goal of the year in the victory.
- In the last nine games, Cooke has recorded 14 goals and three assists for 31 points.
- In goal, Shehadeh recorded three saves and earned his sixth shutout of the year.
- Queens outshot Daemen 25-5 and held a 12-4 shots on goal advantage.
- Cooke recorded a game-high five shots and three shots on goal
- While eight other Knights combined for nine shots on goals.
NEXT GAME
The Knights open a two-game East Coast Conference road stand beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 23 with a trip to Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. as they match up against the Mavericks of Mercy University. Kick-off is set for 3:00 p.m.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), X (Formerly Twitter) (@QCKnights), and Instagram (qcknightsny), men's soccer (qcmsoccer).
