ITHACA, N.Y. (September 27, 2014) – Stevens Institute of Technology sophomore
Jay Mikula scored off a header in the 81
st minute Saturday to lead the men's soccer team to a 1-0 win over Ithaca College.
The Ducks moved to 6-3-0 (2-0-0) with the win while Ithaca dropped to 1-4-1. The win marked the fourth straight shutout for the Ducks and gives them five overall on the season. Stevens' defense has now allowed only one goal in the last 475 minutes.
Defense reigned superior in the first half as both teams failed to get a shot on goal through the first 28 minutes. Ithaca managed a header in the 29
th minute that was saved by sophomore
Mike Renna before the Ducks responded with a trio of shots from junior
Colin Phillips over the next three minutes that either went wide or were saved.
Ithaca exerted pressure in the 34
th and 35
th minutes with a pair of shots off corner kicks, but the Stevens defense was able to block both before they reached Renna. Phillips responded with another shot in the 36
th minute, but Ithaca goalie Jordan Gentile made the save to keep the game scoreless.
Renna and Gentile combined for three saves in the half as the teams went into the break deadlocked.
The Bombers came out of the locker room firing with shots in the 48
th, 49
th, and 50
th minutes, but Stevens blocked two before Renna made the save on the third. After trading shots over the next 30 minutes, the Ducks finally broke through in minute 81.
Junior
Carson Pryor dribbled up the right side of the box where the forward crossed a pass to the cutting Mikula. Leaving his feet, Mikula headed the ball past a lunging Gentile to give Stevens the one goal lead. The score was the first of the season for the sophomore forward while the assist was Pryor's third.
The lead was enough for Renna and the Ducks defense as the unit blocked a shot in 88
th minute to extinguish Ithaca's final threat.
The Ducks will continue Empire 8 play next Saturday when they host Utica College in a 5 p.m. match at the De Baun Athletic Complex. Follow the team throughout the season on stevensducks.com and on Twitter @stevensducks and @stevensmsoccer.
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