Box Score

Colm Dillane twice connected with Kyle Green to lead the New York University men's soccer team a 2-1 victory over visiting Kean University on a cold and rainy night Monday night, October 4, at Alumni Field in Newark, NJ.

 

Despite coming in a break from University Athletic Association (UAA) action, the win was still a big one for the Violets (6-2-2), as the Cougars (6-4-1) entered the contest ranked #7 in the Atlantic South Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). NYU is now 2-1-2 against regionally ranked teams in 2010, with the lone loss coming in overtime in the season opener.

 

As in all the previous games against ranked foes, this was a hard-fought battle from the start. But the Violets produced the vast majority of the match's quality chances, outshooting Kean 17-8, while allowing the only goal on a penalty kick awarded with 25 seconds left in the first half.

 

“We came out brilliantly – that was the best football we've played all season,” said head coach Joe Behan. “But we let them back into it, and we can't have those lapses in concentration.”

 

Though the Cougars nearly scored just three minutes into the game, with Anthony Crouchelli's shot after a long run traveling just wide, it was NYU that struck first. In the 16th minute, Dillane played a through ball off his back heel to Green in the box, and the wide-open sophomore knocked it in past the diving keeper to put the Violets ahead early.

 

NYU had several other outstanding opportunities in the first half, including a pair of well-struck balls from further than 30 yards out by Matt Newman, but could not convert. Then with just 25 seconds left in the half the Violets were called for an unintentional hand ball in the box, giving the Cougars a penalty kick. Goalkeeper Matt Stieve guessed right on the PK, but Luiz Campos' shot was struck perfectly inside the post.

 

Stieve came through with a big save on a wide-open header early in the second half, and in the 56th minute Dillane again connected with Green. After a Kean foul, Dillane played the ensuing free kick into the box, where Green jumped and headed it in for his fifth goal of the season.

 

Dillane nearly got a third assist in the 75th minute, carrying the ball to the right of the box and feeding a wide-open Chris Ramirez in the middle, but Ramirez's high shot was stopped by the keeper.

 

The Violets did not need the insurance goal, as the defense finished out strong and blocked the Cougars' only two shot attempts in the final 10 minutes. Stieve finished with two saves, both in the second half, for the game.

 

“Kyle Green and Colm Dillane played outstanding tonight, and I'm very pleased with the performance and the result,” commented Behan. “We just need to keep it up because now it's basically playoff time.”

 

NYU begins a three-game stretch of UAA games on Saturday when it travels to Case Western Reserve University. Game time is scheduled for 1:30 pm.