Brooklyn, NY---Senior midfielder Semso Nikocevic (Brooklyn, New York, Sheepshead Bay) recorded two goals, including the game-winner in the 77th minute of regulation as the St. Francis College Terriers defeated the Sacred Heart Pioneers, 3-2, at Aviator Sports and Recreation Complex. Nikocevic, a 2008 First Team All-Northeast Conference selection, was able to slither past the defense, allowing him to find the loose ball and blast it to the back of the net, beating the Pioneers Alex Fait for the game-winner.
With the victory, the Terriers recorded their ninth overall win of the season, improving their record to 9-5-1 overall and 6-1-1 in the Northeast Conference. The Pioneers stumble to 6-7-2 overall and a 3-4-1 record in the Northeast Conference. The victory, combined with a Quinnipiac lost to the Mount tonight, puts the Terriers in a tie with Monmouth for first place in the Northeast Conference with a record of 6-1-1 and 19 points.
The Terriers were able to strike the first blow of the contest as forward Greg Baum (Staten Island, NY, St. Joseph by the Sea High School) scored his second goal of the season, in the 20th minute in the first half, after a crafty assist from John Sallhag (Vaxjo, Sweden). Sallhag was able to beat his defender on a nifty move to his left and placed the ball fifteen yards from the goal as a cutting Baum received the feed and left-footed the ball to the right hand corner of the goal, giving the Terriers a 1-0 advantage.
In the 33rd minute of the contest, Nikocevic netted his first goal of the contest after the Brooklyn native got a well-executed pass from junior midfielder Jeverton De Lorenzi (Rutherford, NJ, Rutherford HS) and sophomore forward Tevin Jackson (Rosedale, MD, Eastern Technical). Jackson brought the ball past mid-field finding De Lorenzi, who recorded his fourth assist of the season, cutting down the left side of the field towards the goal. The Rutherford, New Jersey native De Lorenzi was able to spot Nikocevic, who used his right foot to boot the ball past Fait, giving the Terriers a 2-0 lead entering halftime.
The Terriers scored two goals on six shots in the first half, while the Pioneers seemed to fall short in the first forty-five minutes of the contest, attempting four shots, but two on goal. The Pioneers didn’t attempt a corner kick during the game, but the second half would be where the Pioneers would make a game of it.
In the 65th minute of the contest, Sacred Heart’s Brian Francolini was credited for the goal after the ball was sailed to the high left corner of the goal, past a leaping Chris Antonino (Howard Beach, NY, A.B. Molloy High School), who gave it all his worth but was unsuccessful in keeping the ball away from the net.
Five minutes later, Sacred Heart would rally to tie the score at two on a well placed header by Marcello Mililli. The Pioneers junior mid-fielder would find himself alone against Antonino after the St. Francis goalie made a deflection in the box, but was unsuccessful in clearing the ball out of the Terriers zone.
Towards the end of the contest, St. Francis would find another scoring opportunity off the foot of sophomore mid-fielder Robbie Weir. Weir created space between him and his defender and blasted a shot twenty yards on the right hash that clanked off the right post, much to the dismay of the loyal Terriers fans who made their way out to Aviator tonight.
The Terriers will look to possibly secure home-field advantage with a November 2nd encounter against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights. It’s Alumni Night at Aviator Field and Recreation Complex and the Terriers will look for support from their soccer brethren as they make strides to host the 2009 Northeast Conference Tournament.
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By: Brian D. Morales (Assistant Sports Information)