POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – The Stevens Institute of Technology men’s soccer team used a pair of goals each in the first and second half to register a 4-0 victory over Vassar College Sunday afternoon at Prentiss Field in Poughkeepsie, NY. The Ducks earn their second victory of the weekend and improve to 2-2-2 overall for the season, while Vassar drops to 2-2-1 with the loss. Stevens now eyes a matchup with top-ranked and undefeated Messiah, the defending National Champions, on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Grantham, PA.
Sophomore Vershima Tivzenda (Marietta, GA) set up the Ducks’ first score as his shot bounced off Vassar goalie Jason Cetel. Senior Chris Barsky (Holland, PA) collected the loose ball and crossed it to junior Nick Gkionis (Jackson, NJ), who headed in the score in the 19th minute for his second goal in as many games.
Stevens built a 2-0 advantage five minutes leader as Barsky raced down the left sideline and found freshman Eric Muse (Tilton, NH) in front of the goal. Muse drove a low shot into the right corner of the goal for his first career goal.
Senior Steve Liebezeit (Pompton Lakes, NJ) lofted the ball over the head of Cetel for his fourth goal in the last two games, putting Stevens up, 3-0, in the 70th minute. Freshman Jeremy Heiskanen (Hopatcong, NJ) angled the ball past the Vassar keeper in the 78th minute for the Ducks’ final goal of the contest and his second goal in as many games.
Stevens controlled possession throughout, outshooting Vassar, 17-9. Both schools had six corner kicks. Junior Chris Celentano (Newton, NJ) registered four saves in goal before being relieved by sophomore Corey Connelly (Louisville, KY) for the final seven minutes of the match. Connelly did not have a save in the contest.
The Ducks have scored 13 goals in their last three contests after failing to produce a score in their first three matches of the season.
