WILKES-BARRE, PA (October 17, 2019) --- Senior
Fabio Massa had a career high four points and sophomore
Aidan Oyler recorded three points to pace the King's College men's soccer team to a 3-0 victory over DeSales University on Thursday afternoon from McCarthy Stadium in Wilkes-Barre.
The victory allowed the Monarchs (11-3-0, 2-1-0 MAC Freedom) to keep pace in the conference standings while dropping the Bulldogs (4-9-1, 1-2-0) out of the top four qualifying spots with four matches remaining.
King's put pressure on the Bulldogs from the opening kick as Massa missed just right on a shot from the top left of the box 66 seconds in. The KC was able to hold possession of the ball for most of the opening five minutes as they never let the Bulldogs get the possession past midfield. The constant pressure on the DSU defense led to King's first goal in the seventh minute as
Pat Holton scored his first collegiate goal off a well-placed cross into the box by Oyler. Massa gave Oyler a nice back-heel pass down the left side leading to the goal for his first assist of the day. The assist was Oyler's second of the year and his career. Six minutes later KC nearly doubled their lead as
Kyle Shalvey's attempt was saved by DSU keeper Jake Padula. King's held possession of the ball for 60 percent of the time in the first half and took a 1-0 lead into the locker room.
The Monarchs kept the intensity up in the second half and broke down the Bulldog defense for two goals in a span of four minutes. First, in the 54th minute
Matthew Hesse broke free down the right side dribbling the ball into the box. After he was stopped by the Bulldog defense before getting to net, Massa picked up a loose ball near the top of the box on the right side and sent a pass to Oyler in the middle of the pitch. Oyler then found the upper left for his second goal of the year. In the 57th minute Massa scored his ninth career goal and third of the season when the Monarch defense forced a turnover about 10 yards outside the box, Massa once again was in the right position to send a missile into the upper right.
King's finished the match with a 15-2 shot advantage including putting six shots on goal. Both Bulldog attempts went wide. Massa and Oyler led the team with three shots each while
Nik Verma, Hesse, and
Aidan DeCamillo took two apiece. The Monarch defense didn't allow the DSU offense to record a shot until the 73rd minute as they frustrated the Bulldogs for all 90 minutes.
KC will return to the pitch on Saturday night when they host conference newcomer Stevens Institute of Technology for a big Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom match under the lights of McCarthy Stadium at 7:30 pm. Stevens is currently one point ahead of King's in the conference standings.
--MONARCHS--
