For a team entering the game with a focus on shoring up its defense, the Lehman College men's soccer team put on quite an offensive display in defeating CUNY rival Baruch College 4-2 under the lights on Lehman's Bronx campus.
"We're just getting started in implementing alot of the things I want to do," said Coach Joe Andre. "But defensively we still have to get better."
The Lightning was paced by freshman Gilherme Silva, who posted his second game of at least one goal and one assist this season, and Geovanny Arredondo, who also notched a goal and an assist.
Lehman started the evening's scoring in the 17th minute thanks to Essenam Agouze. The freshman, whose ability to maintain control of the ball has been evident in the early season, corralled a cross from Arredondo, stumbled a bit, but regained his composure to blast one past Baruch keeper Michael Murphy.
Fingered in the preseason as a potential difference maker in the midfield, Agouze has shown good skills thus far, but still is far from a finished product.
"He's new to the college game," said Andre of the true freshman. "There's still alot more work to do and more confidence to build."
Lightning struck again in the 25th minute when Silva used his speed to chase down a ball played to the right of the Baruch goal by Assami Valian. With the ball seemingly headed out of bounds Silva was able to regain possession and strike from close range to put Lehman up 2-0.
A determined Baruch squad would not go quietly into the half, however, as they had several chances within the final five minutes, including a near goal by Baruch's Brian Wright that was turned away at close range by Lehman keeper Marcos Coto-Batres.
Baruch continued to pressure Lehman as the second half began. Moments after Jonas Juozitis shot just high over the crossbar from inside the goal box, Stefan Cocea halved Lehman's lead on a header off a free kick by Jason Lopez.
Arredondo would give Lehman some breathing room on a gorgeous header of his own when he converted a perfectly placed corner kick from Silva in the 75th minute to put the Lightning up 3-1.
Junior College transfer Babatunde Oyetunji, who was filling in at right defensive back for the newly departed Edward Appah, notched his first goal of the season several minutes later, knocking one in off the crossbar to put Lehman up 4-1.
A late goal by Ibek Abdrahmanov for Baruch provided the final 4-2 margin.
With the win, Lehman improves to 2-3 overall (1-0 CUNYAC) while Baruch falls to 2-3-1 (0-1 CUNYAC). Next up for the Lightning is a non-conference matchup with Berkeley College on Saturday at 1 p.m. on the South Field in the Bronx.
