Schneider's second-half goal the difference as Golden Lions win
battle of last two NCAA II National Champions
Boxscore
BROOKHAVEN, N.Y. (September
7, 2008) - Dowling College, ranked 9th in this
week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America
(NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, got a goal just past the hour mark
to claim a 1-0 victory over Franklin Pierce University, ranked
6th in the NSCAA/adidas East Region rankings, in a
battle between the last two NCAA Division II National Champions
this afternoon at Golden Lions Field.
Junior Steven Schneider
(Westbury, N.Y./Jericho) scored the lone goal of the match
in the 62nd minute from inside the six to break a
scoreless deadlock and provide the difference for Dowling, who
captured the Division II National Championship in 2006. Dowling
posted a 9-7 advantage in shots for the match, but Franklin Pierce,
the reigning National Champs, were unable to capitalize on a 5-4
edge in shots on target.
Senior goalkeeper Nemanja
Veljovic (Belgrade, Serbia) made five saves to preserve
his second shutout of the season for the Golden Lions. Sophomore
Carl Contrascier (Hinkley, Ohio/Highland) made a
career-best four stops for Franklin Pierce.
Dowling posted a 5-1 shots
advantage in a scoreless first half - and after Schneider's goal,
held a 7-2 edge. Franklin Pierce out shot the Golden Lions, 5-2,
the rest of the way, but couldn't manage an equalizing goal. Junior
Kensaku Tsuji (Tokushima, Japan) had two shots
down the stretch, forcing a Veljovic save on one, while shots on
target were also collected by freshman Viktor
Gonçalves (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Sean
Ahern (Somers, Conn./Somers) but could not get past the
Dowling keeper.
Franklin Pierce (1-2-0, 0-0-0
NE-10) looks to get back on track on Tuesday when it hosts Le Moyne
College in their Northeast-10 opener at 3:30 p.m. Dowling (2-1-0,
0-0-0 ECC) hosts Briarcliffe University on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
