Dolphins Keep Season Alive at Lightning's Expense

Desperation is a powerful motivator.

On Wednesday night in the Bronx, the Lehman men's soccer team found out just how powerful as they dropped a 1-0 decision in overtime to a College of Staten Island team that was in danger of falling to 1-4 in the CUNYAC.

Instead, CSI junior Kenneth Zaw set off a boisterous celebration after he pounded home the game winner to the right of a diving Marco Coto-Batres in the 94th minute.

For the Dolphins, the clincher seemed inevitable as they mounted chance after chance in the second half.

In the 76th minute, Lirim Begai banged a shot off the crossbar. Barely one minute later Dong Luu, who was superb in attacking all evening, ripped a ball just high. Luu was at it again in the 84th minute when his chance at glory clanged off the right post. Doing his best impersonation of Luu, teammate Giovanni Cortese also found the post on his attempt.

Despite peppering Coto-Batres nearly all second half, CSI did encounter some close calls from the home team.

Lehman's Assami Valian nearly put the Lightning on the board in the 33rd minute, but his swerving free kick missile was steered away by CSI keeper Ahmed El Ghareib. In the 65th minute Gilherme Silva's corner kick was almost converted by Rafael Abbondanza only to have the post make the save.

The Lightning's final quality scoring chance came when Essenam Agouze chipped a ball just over the crossbar from less than 20 yards away in the 79th minute.

Now 3-6-1 overall and 2-1-1 in the conference, Lehman has to shake off the stench of defeat in time for another CUNYAC matchup, this time with host Brooklyn College on Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m.

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