WILMINGTON, Del. - - Three second half goals allowed the No. 9 ranked Wilmington University men's soccer team to separate itself from Goldey-Beacom for a 4-0 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory on Tuesday afternoon at Sawin Field.
The win is the 10th of the season for the Wildcats as they improve to 10-0-1 overall and 4-0 in CACC play. The team extends their best unbeaten streak to start a season.
The scoring started in the 10th minute as Shawn Genus supplied the pressure. Genus was slotted into the box on the right side. He turned back and found Marius Skattum Dahl alone at the spot. His shot ranks off the post, but Ellis McSharry was there to collect the rebound. McSharry played it across to the far post to a wide-open Genus who headed it home for his 10th goal of the year.
The Wildcats outshot the Lightning (2-6, 1-3 CACC), 13-4, but the Genus goal was all that found the scoreboard as the Wildcats went into the break leading, 1-0.
The second half was more of the same for the Wildcats, starting early with a goal from Marius Skattum Dahl just three minutes in.
Ellis McSharry played a cross into the box, but the Lightning were first to the ball. The defense's clear went right to Skattum Dahl at the top of the box, and he calmly collected the clearance, got it to his right foot, and shot it to the upper right corner for his third goal of the year.
The Wildcats collected 11 corners in the contest, but didn't have a true chance until their 10th corner. Richard Thompson played ball in from the right corner, finding Carson Talboys at the penalty spot, his header snuck past the goalkeeper as Shawn Genus acted as an ice hockey forward and screened the goalie. It was Talboys' fourth goal of the year, all with his head, all off corners.
Less than five minutes later, Dimitris Passalis scored his first collegiate career goal after another missed clearance from the Lightning defense. The Wildcats went on the attack after a Goldey-Beacom goal-kick, as Hakim Williams played a centering pass at the top of the box. The Lightning got a foot on it to clear it, but it went right to Passalis who launched a shot to the upper right corner from 20 yards out for the 4-0 lead.
The only thing left to decide was the clean sheet and Ellis McSharry helped with that as well. Konstantinos Parisis made two saves in the game and McSharry cleared a ball off the line to keep the Lightning off the board. It was the fifth shutout of the year for Parisis and the Wildcats.
Wilmington outshot the Lightning, 26-6, for the game and won the corner battle, 11-1. Pedro Santolaya made 15 saves for the lightning.
The three-game road trip continues for the Wildcats on Saturday, as they travel to Waterbury, Connecticut to square off against Post. The opening whistle is set for 2:30 p.m. on LaMoy Field.
