Video recap at bottom of page.
Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo of Jester's goal in the 85th minute, taken by James Jones.
NEWARK, Del. - - For the fifth consecutive season the Wilmington University men's soccer team will be making a trip to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Semifinals, taking down Goldey-Beacom, 3-0, in the First Round on Tuesday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex.
The third seeded Wildcats (12-5-1) scored once in the first half before adding a pair of insurance goals late in the second half to take down crosstown rival and sixth seeded Goldey-Beacom (9-7-2). The Wildcats are now 3-0 against the Lightning in the CACC Tournament.
The win propels the Wildcats into the CACC Tournament Semifinals for the fifth straight year, but the Wildcats are looking to make it to the CACC Tournament Championship for only the second time during that same span.
Much like their matchup in the regular season, the Wildcats needed goalkeeper Vinny Tasca to come up with a breakaway save to keep the Lightning off the board. This time around it came in the early going of the contest, making a key save in the eighth minute.
The Wildcats got the offense rolling from there, eventually outshooting the Lightning, 4-3, in the first half. The team's second shot of the match broke the ice, however.
With the ball in the attacking third at the 35-yard line, Juan Bernal slotted CACC Rookie of the Year Lorne Bickley down the center. Bickley's second touch was flicked over the top of the charging Lightning goalkeeper for the game's first goal at the 23:20 mark. It was Bickley's 12th goal of the season, tying the program's record for most goals by a freshman with Sargbah Tarpeh (assistant coach Anthony Allison) in 2006 and Eddie Kowalo in 2011.
Sam Jester had a golden opportunity to make it a 2-0 advantage before the half, getting a cross from Daniel McDonald-Taylor on the back post. But the Lightning netminder Suhail Bismilla came all the way across the goal line to make a sprawling last-second save.
After the break, the Lightning were pressing to find the equalizer, earning the first four corners and two shots of the period. But with the Lightning pressing, the Wildcats found the open space behind the defense in the 79th minute.
Elliot Johnson won a ball in the defensive midfield and played it forward and overtop of the defense to a racing Jamie Burridge.The senior forward stepped aside of Bismilla out of the 18-yard box and found the open net for the insurance goal 78:16 into the match.
Sam Jester iced the game in the 85th minute, running onto a ball over the top from Deron Joe. Jester brilliantly headed the ball down to his feet and then played a ball with the outside of his right foot around the keeper for his fifth goal of the year.
The Wildcats outshot the Lightning, 9-5, for the match even with the Lightning earing more corners, 7-5. Tasca recorded four saves in goal for his fourth full shutout of the season. Bismilla made two stops for the Lightning.
The Wildcats advance to play second seeded and host Georgian Court on Friday in Lakewood, N.J. The men will play on the turf field inside the track with the opening whistle set for 1:30 p.m.
