NEWARK, Del. - - A dominating performance led to a 3-0 victory for the Wilmington University men's soccer team in its home and Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opener on Tuesday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex.
Wilmington (2-0, 1-0 CACC), ranked 22nd in the season's first NSCAA/Tire NCAA Division II Men's National Poll, held possession for majority of the first half, outshooting the Golden Falcons (0-2, 0-1 CACC), 9-0, before finally getting on the board in the 38th minute. The Wildcats added a pair of goals in the second half to cap the scoring, again outshooting Felician, 9-3, in the half.
The Wildcats blanked on their first eight shots in the first half, putting the offensive pressure on from the very beginning, also producing eight corners, and seven offside calls in the first 45 minutes. But it was the ninth shot that finally found the back of the Wildcats, coming off the head of reserve forward Vitor Lima.
With the ball outside of the 18-yard box on the left side, senior Tommy Quaranta put a ball across the box and to the far post, finding a wide open Lima who redirected the ball with his head just inside the post for his first goal of the season. The goal gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute and into the halftime break.
Once the goal scoring was started, the tallies came quick for the Wildcats in the second half, as they built a 3-0 lead before eight minutes elapsed in the second half.
On the first shot of the half, Femi Akintunde received a toe poke forward from Otis Williams and was in free on the keeper. Drawing the keeper out, Akintunde passed left to a wide open Elton Joe who buried the shot for the goal and 2-0 lead in the 48th minute.
The next shot for the Wildcats also found the back of the net five minutes later, as this time it was Akintunde on the receiving end. Defender Joe Woodley made a brilliant run from the backfield down the right side, receiving the through ball with space. Woodley crossed the ball across the 18-yard box to an open Akintunde who one-timed it out of the air for the volley and his first goal as a Wildcat. Wilmington held a comfortable 3-0 lead in the 53rd minute.
The defensive unit also held strong for the Wildcats, as it did not allow a shot by the Golden Falcons until the 54th minute, with only one shot being on target for the 90 minutes.
Goalkeepers Spyros Stergiotis and Frank Hall split time in goal for the Wildcats, with Hall recording one save in recording the combined shutout. With the first half goal, Stergioitis picks up the win and improves to 1-0 on the season.
Falcon goalkeeper Daniel Wroblewski recorded four saves in the start before giving way to Anthony Tsouhnikas with 27 minutes remaining. Tsouhnikas made three saves in his time.
The Wildcats head into a tough stretch of their 2013 schedule, as they leave for the University of Bridgeport Invitational starting on Thursday. The 22nd ranked Wildcats will battle No. 3 LIU Post on Thursday at 4 p.m. before taking on Bridgeport on Saturday at 7 p.m.
