Box Score
Purchase, NY (Oct. 9, 2013) – The loss column in conference play remained untouched Wednesday night for the Purchase men's soccer team, as the Panthers outlasted the College of Mt. St. Vincent in a physical tilt.
The host Panthers pitched a 1-0 shutout in a game that was marred by fouls and cautions.
By game's end, Purchase, now a perfect 3-0-1 in the Skyline Conference, had withstood CMSV in another tightly contested showdown in league play. The Panther defense outplayed the Dolphins on the shoulders of goalkeeper Esteban Aguilar (SO/East Hampton, NY), who continues to impress. The netminder finished with six saves, including two brilliant, second-half stops en route to his fourth shutout this season.
CMSV keeper David Melchor wasn't far behind, but the Panther offense capitalized first in what turned out to be the game-winning goal early in the second half on a night when chances weren't easy to come by for both teams.
Purchase forward Myles Clohessy (SO/Cornwall, CT) fired a shot that was saved and deflected by Melchor. However, the rebound fell into the lap of Danny Moallem (SR/New Rochelle, NY), who buried the ball into the back of the net off the return. The unassisted goal was the third of the season for Moallem and it came nearly three minutes (47:57) into the second half.
Melchor finished with two saves in the loss, including the ball that provided the rebound for Moallem.
Ironically, CMSV (10-3, 1-3 Skyline) took more shots than Purchase (10-5).
Offense was limited in the first half. Following 20 minutes of back-and-forth defensive tenacity from both teams, Purchase provided the game's first two solid scoring chances – the first a shot attempt out in front by Moallem, and shortly thereafter a blast that hit the right post by Clohessy.
The first-half scoring opportunities provided some foreshadowing of what was to come in the second half, but, despite the opportunities, the first half ended in a draw, with the Dolphins recording four shots and the Panthers taking two. Corner kicks were fairly even over the first 45 minutes, with Purchase holding a 3-2 edge. The defensive-minded period also consisted of 13 fouls (Purchase, 7-5).
Purchase would win the corner kick margin for the game (5-3) and overcame 17 fouls to CMSV's 11 to hold on and improve their conference record.
The Panthers, riding an eight-game unbeaten streak, will now travel to play Yeshiva University on Sunday (10/13). The matchup is set to be played at FDU in New Jersey.
