Box Score
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The Lehman College men's soccer team earned a thrilling come-from behind victory over York, 2-1, in overtime on Wednesday evening. Sophomore midfielder Brandon Melendez Ruiz scored the game-winning goal off a free kick to give the Lightning their first CUNY Athletic Conference victory of the season. This is the second match in a row that Ruiz scored the game-winner in extra time.

"It was a great team effort," Lightning head coach Toma Gojcevic said. "We had to pull through together and we did."

The Cardinals (0-8-1, 0-3 CUNYAC) struck first, just 7:46 into the contest, to take a 1-0 lead. The Lightning (5-4, 1-2 CUNYAC) were held scoreless in the first half, as York went into the intermission with a 1-0 advantage.

In the second half, Lehman got on the board thanks to a goal by freshman forward Bijean Johnson (Bronx, N.Y./Harry S. Truman), as he sprinted down the field and shot the ball into the net from a sharp angle, to tie the match at 1-1 in the 58^th minute. Lehman kept pressuring York for the remainder of the half, but could not score a second goal in regulation, so the match went into overtime.

Late in the first overtime period, York committed a foul, earning Lehman a free kick opportunity. Ruiz (Yonkers, N.Y./Gorton) took the free kick and was able to take advantage of the opportunity, by propelling the ball into the back of the net in the 98^th minute to clinch Lehman's first CUNYAC victory of the season.

For the match, the Lightning narrowly outshot the Cardinals, 17-15. Lehman had 12 corner kicks, while York had two. Junior goalkeeper Irvin Barreto (Brooklyn, N.Y./Martin Luther King, Jr.) made two saves to earn the victory for the Lightning.

Lehman will travel to Randall's Island on Saturday, for a CUNYAC match against Hunter. The contest is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m.