The Wilmington University men's soccer team started the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference portion of its schedule off on the right foot, defeating Holy Family, 5-1, on Tuesday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex.
The win is the fourth consecutive victory for the Wildcats (4-1, 1-0 CACC) after they dropped their season opener on September 6. Holy Family (1-2-2, 0-1-1 CACC) also lost for the first time since the season opener, going 1-0-2 since.
The offensive pressure started early for the Wildcats as Josh Fawssett got the scoring started with a goal in the fifth minute. Bruno Montini made a run down the left side and turned it in on the endline, putting a cross into the middle of the six-yard box to JJ Naiwo. Naiwo tapped it along to Fawssett who had an open goal as Richard Ongaro closed out on Naiwo.
Senior forward Pedro Moreira scored his first goal of the season to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead late in the second half. From atop the 'D' outside the 18-yard box, Moreira put the ball on his right foot and took a drive, beating Ongaro to his right side and just inside the post in the 37th minute.
Wilmington led 2-0 on the scoreboard and 13-1 in shots going into the halftime break.
In the second half, it was more of the same for the home team, as Lance Berry headed home his third goal of the season after a great cross into the box by Geoff Velasquez in the 64th minute.
Sophomore Jordon Ellison scored his first of the season in the 68th minute off a nice through ball to the right side from Jamie Burridge. Ellison held off his defender before putting a shot to the far post to make it 4-0 in favor of the Wildcats.
Naiwo was at it again in the 71st minute, receiving a cross from Joe Boulter on the back post. His left footed volley snuck under the diving the keeper for his first goal as a Wildcat and the 5-0 lead.
Sophomore goalkeeper Zach Lee made a crucial save in the first half while the game was still 1-0, as Holy Family's Aiah Mbriwa found himself all alone in the box. Lee came out and cut off the angle of the shot, making the point black save to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard at that point.
The Tigers were able to strike late in the game however, as a defensive miscue led to a long range missile from Holy Family's Jamie Annobil in the 87th minute. But it was too little too late as the Wildcats hung on for the 5-1 victory.
Lee was needed to make two saves for his first win as a Wildcat while Ongaro made one save in the first half and Dylan Rutledge recorded two stops in the second half for the Tigers.
The Wildcats continue their stretch of six games in 10 days on Thursday, as they head to CACC foe Felician for a game under the lights. The game will start at 7 p.m. at the Lyndhurst Recreation Center.