Oct. 12, 2011

Box Score

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Put a bow around the City University of New York Athletic Conference regular season championship and hand it over to Lehman College because the Lightning is top dog.

Wednesday afternoon's 2-1 victory over Hunter College on Randall's Island combined with Hunter's two recent ties and City College of New York's loss to John Jay all add up to the Lightning clinching the No. 1 spot in the upcoming CUNYAC Championships.

“To be able to call ourselves the conference champion is nice, but it's pretty much a stepping stone for us,” said Lehman head coach Joe André.  “It's only one of several things we want to do.  I know I would take being a lower seed and winning the whole thing as opposed to being the top seed and coming up flat during playoff time.”

Looking to avenge its loss to the Hawks in last season's championship game, the Lightning put itself behind the eight ball early.  In only the game's fifth minute, Hunter's Mario Rojas converted a penalty kick for the 1-0 lead. 

Lehman knocked on the door in the ninth and 11th minutes when headers by Jonathan Moallem and Oumar Niang were steered clear by Hawks' keeper Zade Haobsh.  A third header in the 14th miniute, this time by Will Arbieto-Lopez, proved to be the charm – and the equalizer – as Lehman tied the score 1-1.

Both teams played to a standstill for the remainder of the half and then for an additional 12 minutes following intermission before Lehman notched the game winner.

Fulfilling his customary role of throwing the ball in when the Lightning gets deep in the other team's offensive zone, junior Thaddeus Ikwuka let loose his patented Olympian-style heave from the sideline.  As the ball sailed in the vicinity of the net, forward Oumar Niang's head met the ball perfectly, knocking it past Haobsh for his sixth goal of the season and the 2-1 advantage.

Hunter had one final chance to draw even, but Pablo Oliva's shot hit the post in the 88th minute and bounded away.  For a majority of the match, Lehman's back line stifled the defensive-minded Hawks, allowing a total of only four shots on goal.

With its win, Lehman moves to 8-4 overall and an impressive 6-1 in CUNYAC.

The Lightning plays visiting St. Joseph's (BK) tomorrow evening before wrapping up the conference portion of its schedule on Saturday afternoon in the Bronx with a now meaningless match against CCNY.