Oct. 5, 2011

Box Score

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Don't look now, but the Lehman men's soccer team has grabbed sole possession of first place in the City University of New York Athletic Conference.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Lightning walked a tightrope in pulling out a 2-1 win over host York College in two overtimes, in the process moving to 5-1 in CUNYAC.  The victory was also Lehman's fifth in a row and fifth consecutive over a CUNYAC opponent.

But it almost wasn't to be as for the first time since it started its current streak, the Lightning found itself trailing after York's Rachidi Amadou banged one home off a feed from Menard Millus in the 25th minute to give York the 1-0 lead.

Unable to put a ball past York keeper Qudus Kassim for what seemed like an eternity, Lehman was bailed out by Momar Thiam, the reigning CUNYAC Player of the Week, who converted a penalty kick in the 86th minute to tie the score.  The tally was Thiam's third of the season.

Both teams battled through a scoreless overtime period before Lehman forward Oumar Niang scored on a ball played ahead by Thiam in the 102nd minute of action to secure the 2-1 win for Lehman.  Niang's goal was his fifth of the year.

The Lightning managed to put 11 shots on goal to the Cardinals six.

Lehman will have a few days to feel good about itself before starting preparations for its huge showdown with Hunter College next Wednesday on Randall's Island.  It was the Hawks that ended the Lightning's magical playoff run in 2010 with a 2-0 win in the CUNYAC Championship game.