Box Score
Purchase, NY (Sept. 21, 2013) – There are always reservations of a possible letdown when a team comes off a high-scoring win.
But the Purchase men's soccer team silenced those concerns Saturday after routing Sarah Lawrence Thursday night at home. The Panthers showed no signs of slowing down today in the team's Skyline Conference opener against Farmingdale State, winning 3-0 before the home faithful.
Head coach James Bruno rallied his troops in a motivational pregame, and the Panthers responded by attacking repeatedly throughout the first 45 minutes.
Purchase outshot FSC 9-4 in the opening half, including 5 to 3 in shots on goal, and broke through first off the foot of Junior Sanguina (JR/White Plains, NY).
Sanguina continues to shine and is putting together an early campaign for All-Skyline honors. The midfielder notched his eighth goal of the fall in the sixth minute, taking an assist from Enderson Mhilli (SR/Rye, NY) for the quick 1-0 strike.
The cross pass across the face of the goal provided an early highlight for the high-scoring Sanguina and the Panthers.
Leading early, the Panther defense went toe-to-toe with the Rams and kept FSC on its heels.
With the Rams struggling to get on the board in the first, Purchase added an insurance goal before the break. Forward Myles Clohessy (SO/Cornwall, CT) recorded his fifth goal of the season off an assist from Sanguina for a 2-0 lead.
Ironically, the early two goals would be more than enough as Purchase would pitch a 3-0 shutout.
The duo of Clohessy and Sanguina have transformed the Purchase offense in 2013. Sanguina, a returner, has been given a larger role in Bruno's attacking schemes, while the strapping Clohessy, a DI transfer, has showed poise, tough physicality and a higher skill offensively – all of which have contributed to a strong start for the sophomore playmaker.
The second half opened with more defense on the part of both teams. Neither squad scored through the opening 15 minutes and shots were hard to come by on both sides.
The Panther defense was led by their two centerbacks, rookies Andrew Dyal (FR/Red Hook, NY) and Brad Kohel (FR/Goshen, NY), who helped control the tempo for surging Purchase.
Purchase defense played keep away over the final 30 minutes en route to the shutout.
Meanwhile, the offense took three impressive shots at the net. Mhilli, Clohessy and Eli Wilson-Berkowitz (JR/Northampton, MA) fired three terrific marks on goal, but the FSC keeper denied all three, including one blast by Wilson-Berkowitz with 10 minutes remaining.
However, Sanguina would tack on an additional insurance goal – his ninth of the fall. This time off a short pass and assist from Wilson-Berkowitz.
Purchase maintained possession and controlled the field the rest of the way. In net, keeper Esteban Aguilar (SO/East Hampton, NY) recorded the win. He finished with three saves.
Purchase improves to 4-3-1 and 1-0 in league play, dropping FSC to 2-5 and 0-1 in the Skyline. The Panthers are also now 3-0-1 at home. They return to action next Saturday at home, when they welcome NYU-POLY to Purchase.
