Box Score LYNDHURST, N.J. – Felician University senior midfielder Kevin Valdivia (Hawthorne, N.J./PCTI) cleared a ball off the goal line with slightly more than one minute remaining in regulation time to secure the Golden Falcons' 1-0 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference men's soccer victory over visiting Caldwell University on Wednesday night at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex.
Felician sophomore forward Leo Yang (Seoul, South Korea/Queen of Peace [N.J.]) had registered an unassisted goal in the in the 87th minute to snap the game's scoreless deadlock. The Golden Falcons (2-4, 1-1 CACC) were playing in their first home contest of 2019.
Caldwell (0-6, 0-2) held a 15-13 edge in shots for the night, receiving seven attempts from junior Thomas Santana (Carmo de Rio Claro, Brazil/Bethesda University). Felician redshirt freshman goalkeeper Alex Ficarra (Phillipsburg, N.J./Notre Dame-Red Pond [Pa.]) made four saves to earn his initial collegiate shutout. It was the first clean sheet for the Golden Falcons since a 2-0 win at Holy Family University on Oct. 14, 2017.
Despite the back-and-forth nature of the Wednesday's contest, the sides were rarely dangerous. Several shots by each squad were blocked by the opposing defense before reaching the keepers. Yang was denied by Cougar junior Nils Svere (Lier, Norway/Drammen) on an 18th minute header in perhaps Felician's best chance of the opening half.
As the second-period clock wound under four minutes, Santana pushed an attempt left of the frame. Ficarra's ensuing goal kick was won by Felician, and the ball found the foot of Yang. The sophomore beat a defender down the left flank, cut to the middle to free himself, and buried a shot into the right half of the net. Three minutes, 17 seconds, remained in regulation.
Late in the 89th minute, the Cougars won a corner kick. It was played from the left side and met the head of Santana. The ball had Ficarra beat and seemed ticketed for the goal on one bounce, but Valdivia crossed in front of a teammate and played the ball away to the right. A teammate knocked it out of bounds, and after its throw-in, Caldwell was called offside. The Golden Falcons were able to whittle away the remaining seconds.
The teams were whistled for a combined 31 fouls and five caution cards.
Felician is next in action on Saturday for a 1 p.m. CACC tilt in Lakewood against Georgian Court University.
