The men’s soccer team is off to a slow start, opening their season with a win and two losses over the last two weeks.
The Pirates started on a high note with a 6-0 win over Central Connecticut State. The victory was propelled by transfer Stephen Elias’ standout performance in which he scored a hattrick in the first half. His accomplishment led to the Big East naming him Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week. Nine different Pirates had points in the match and the team racked up a 28-8 shot advantage.
The Pirates’ first loss to ranked Florida Gulf Coast State was a heartbreaker, as the Eagles scored with 15 seconds left in regulation on a rebound to steal the game from the Pirates. The Pirates were outshot 12-8.
The Pirates’ most recent loss was another nail biter, a close match against Florida International. The Pirates ultimately ended up losing 2-1. Both Vittorio Argeri and Elias had two shots on goal, with Argeri getting the Pirates’ lone goal.
While they currently have a lossing record, there is potential for growth based on their statistics thus far.
The team has been getting balls to the net with approximately 17 shots per game. So far this season, 18 out of 50 shots have been on goal, giving the team a shot on goal percentage of 36%.
Their opponents’ shot on goal percentage is slightly better at approximately 43% this season.
The addition of Elias will be a huge help to the Pirates as he has already proved that he is an offensive force. In the first three games, he has had six shots on goal, three of which found their way into the back of the net against Central Connecticut. If Elias continues to get balls to the net, he could be a powerhouse this season.
Andrea Borg, Eden O’Leary, Cyrus Darvish, and Argeri have also left a mark on the score sheet, with one goal each. Both Borg and Argeri have had two shots on goal already this season and one goal to show for it. O’Leary and Darvish both have had one shot on goal that has made it past goalies.
Between the posts, Andreas Nota has been solid for the Pirates, with only three goals against and a total of 12 saves.
The Pirates look to improve on their record from last season, when they went 6-7-2. The Pirates’ current statistics match last season where their shot on goal percentage was only slightly higher at approximately 37 percent. Since it is still early in the season, this is a good sign for the Pirates moving forward on the offensive front.
With head coach Andreas Linberg beginning his second season at the helm and the return of 15 players, the Pirates are sure to find their groove and improve on the season ahead.
Brittany Tomore can be reached at brittany.tomore@student.shu.edu. Find her on Twitter @BrittTomore.
