WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senior Raphael Pacano (Gaithersburg, Md.) scored three goals, including the game-winner, to lead the University of the District of Columbia men's soccer team to a 4-3 victory over Daemen College here today in East Coast Conference action.
UDC, which was picked to finish first in the ECC preseason poll, has won four of its last six games and improved to 6-7-1 overall and 4-3-0 in the ECC. Daemen suffered its seventh-straight loss and dropped to 4-10-0 overall and 2-5-0 in the league.
It marked the fifth time this season the Wildcats have lost by just a single goal. Two of those decisions have been overtime losses—a 3-2 loss at Le Moyne College on Sept. 8 and a 3-2 loss at #25 Mercy College on Oct. 3.
Daemen opened the scoring just six minutes into the game when freshman Pascal Kuhn (Emmendingen, Germany) one-timed a low corner kick by classmate Giacomo Bacigalupo (Lavagna, Italy) past UDC netminder Milton Diaz (Kensington, Md.). It marked the second goal of the year for Kuhn.
The score remained 1-0 until the host Firebirds struck for three unanswered goals in just under 12 minutes. Sophomore Michel Egbame (Washington, D.C.) evened the game at 1-1 when he headed home a cross from classmate Pablo Basarte (Zaragoza, Spain) in the 13th minute. UDC took the lead less than two minutes later when Pacano scored his first of the game. Daemen failed to clear the ball following a UDC free kick, and Pacano eventually scored from in close off a feed from freshman Pierre LaNoire (Beltsville, Md.).
UDC's third and fourth goals came after the hosts were awarded penalty kicks. Pacano gave UDC a 3-1 lead in the 25th minute when his penalty kick beat Daemen goalkeeper Ryan Moretta (Buffalo, N.Y.) to the lower right corner.
The Wildcats bounced back 10 minutes later following an outstanding individual effort by sophomore Noah Keem (Amherst, N.Y.). Keem stole the ball at midfield, dribbled up the left flank, made a nice move to go around a UDC defender and scored from 25 yards out. It marked the third goal of the year for Keem, who returned to the lineup today after missing the last seven games due to injury. Keem totaled a team-high nine goals and 22 points and collected third-team All-ECC honors last year.
UDC regained a two-goal lead in the 61st minute when Pacano converted another penalty kick, but Daemen made things interesting when UDC was whistled for a handball in the box with just over 10 minutes to play in regulation. Sophomore Niklas Ringdahl Bohlin (Fjaras, Sweden) converted the ensuing penalty kick to once again make it a one-goal game. UDC held on for the win, as the Wildcats were held without a shot down the stretch.
Moretta, a freshman, made his collegiate debut today for the Wildcats and finished with 10 saves—including a point-blank stop with five minutes to play to keep the Wildcats in the game. Diaz went the distance in net for the Firebirds and made five saves.
The Firebirds finished with a 24-16 edge in total shots and a 14-9 advantage in shots on goal. The hosts also held a 5-2 edge in corner kicks.
Daemen returns to action Saturday (Oct. 20) when it travels to Long Island University-Post for an ECC game. The Pioneers (9-4-0, 5-2-0) are ranked ninth in the latest United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II East Region poll.
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