Box Score

Staten Island, NY---In what was one of the more exciting soccer games of the season, Brooklyn College (3-5-2, 1-2-2 CUNYAC) played Baruch College (3-3-3, 3-0-2 CUNYAC) to a 3-3 tie at the College of Staten Island on Saturday afternoon.

It was Baruch who struck first, as forward Vincent Cruz (Oliver Wilcott / Torrington, CT) scored just eight minutes into the game on a ball that was mishandled by Brooklyn defender Drilon Sahitaj (Brooklyn Studio / Brooklyn, NY).

BC came right back with a goal of their, just five minutes later, as Adley Raymond's (Erasmus Hall / Brooklyn, NY) shot was not caught cleanly by Baruch keeper Nelson DiBastiano (St. Francis Prep / Rego Park, NY), allowing Raymond to control the rebound and put away the goal to tie the game at one.

Brooklyn maintained their momentum by taking a 2-1 lead on a beautiful set up from Mack Diller (Brooklyn Technical / Brooklyn, NY) who crossed the ball from the right corner to Christopher Mendez (Hillcrest / Queens, NY) who received the ball in the middle of the field and put it in the corner of the goal.

Baruch was able to come back once again as Cruz added another goal at the 22 minute mark, followed by a score from forward Freddy Carrasco-Dance (William C. Bryant / East Elmhurst, NY), who made a turn and kick from 25 yards out to regain the lead for Baruch.

Brooklyn would not be deterred as Diller once again led an offensive charge down the right sideline, this time crossing the ball to Muhammad Mutawakkil (Ulal-Alab / Nigeria) who knocked in the score with just over 10 minutes remaining in the half. 

With the goal, Brooklyn tied the game at 3 heading into the half, and both teams left the field having both surrendered first half leads and come back from early deficits. 

The second half saw play intensify on the defensive end, and as a result, there were not many good chances for either squad at continuing scoring pace that was set in the first half.  Then the sky began to open and the rain made it even tougher for either team to mount an attack. 

The game remained tied and both teams prepared for overtime. 

In the first overtime period, Baruch had a chance to come out on top as Boris Lipsman (Edward R. Murrow / Brooklyn, NY) tried to chip the ball over the head of Brooklyn keeper Azad Kafarov (James Madison / Brooklyn, NY), but his attempt missed right and the game remained knotted at 3.

Then on an ensuing Baruch attack, Carrasco-Dance seemingly pushed Brooklyn defender Miguel Veliz-Fitz (FDR / Brooklyn, NY) to the ground, but after the non-call and an open path to the goal, BC's Duane Heaven (Prospect Heights / Brooklyn, NY) hurried over and made a hard tackle that was deemed to be worty of a yellow card by referee William Kolb.  Since it was Heaven's second of the game, he was awarded a red card and Brooklyn would have to play a man down for the remainder of play.

Brooklyn would last through the initial overtime and then seemingly out-hustle Baruch through the second overtime to earn the tie and a point in the CUNYAC standings.  The point puts them in 8th place, but only 2 points separates them from 4th place Medgar Evers. 

"I am proud of the way we battled back twice after Baruch was able to get up a goal on us," said Head Coach Rawle Hensford.  "It is always good to earn a point in conference play."

The team will face tough non-conference opponent New Jersey City University on Monday at 6pm at Floyd Bennett Field before continuing CUNYAC play on Wednesday as they travel to the Bronx to take on Lehman College.