Box Score LYNDHURST, N.J. – Mercy College scored three times a mid-second half span of nine minutes, 33 seconds, and went on to a 4-1 non-conference men's soccer victory over host Felician University on Wednesday night at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex.
Felician (3-4) suffered its first home loss of the 2017 campaign after three victories. Mercy senior forward Ericson Penate (Reseda, Calif./LA Mission JC) tallied his team's final two goals of the night. Redshirt sophomore midfielder Kevin Valdivia (Hawthorne, N.J./PCTI) scored his first collegiate goal for the Golden Falcons.
The teams entered halftime even at 1-1. But the Mavericks (4-3) were the dominant side in period two. Mercy amassed statistical advantages of 10-0 in shots and 3-0 in corner kicks for the half, and its relentless attack led to nine of its 10 offside violations on the night.
The eventual game-winning goal came in the 65th minute. Senior Haxhi Verjoni (Cornwall, N.Y./Marlboro) served a ball parallel to the goal line, which connected with the head of teammate Manuel Achondo (Santiago, Chile/Colegio Verbo Divino). Achondo directed the ball leftward and into the net.
Just over 3 ½ minutes later, Penate lined up for a long free kick, and went directly for the frame. His majestic effort nestled out of the reach of Felician goalkeeper John Burns (Saddle Brook, N.J./Saddle Brook) and under the crossbar.
With 16:12 to play, Penate hooked up with Maximilliano Rebolledo-Camus (Santiago, Chile/Saint George's College) on a give-and-go to complete the match's scoring.
Valdivia put the hosts on the scoreboard first when he headed home a service by Gabe Viana (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) with 8:16 gone by in the contest. But Felician could muster only three shots the rest of the night, none on goal, and Rebolledo-Camus equalized with a header in the 26th minute.
Mercy missed several chances to enter intermission with a lead. Felician junior Jovan Poggi (Lyndhurst, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep) cleared a ball off the goal line a minute before Valdivia scored. Shortly thereafter, Burns made a leaping save of a Achondo shot, deflecting the ball into the crossbar. Mercy's Romello Fraser (Brooklyn, N.Y./Human Rights) bounced a shot off a goalpost in the 20th minute.
But the Mavericks eventually broke through. For the night, they out-shot the Golden Falcons, 18-4, and built a 6-2 corner kick edge. Achondo led all players with five shots in 37 minutes off the bench.
The Golden Falcons return to Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play with a 2:30 p.m. kickoff against 2016 CACC champion Georgian Court University on Saturday in Lakewood, N.J.
