Leon Jr. Stars as Men's Soccer Trounces ECC Rival Dowling, 5-1
Box Score DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Oct. 9, 2012) – Sophomore midfielder Danny Leon Jr. (Flushing, N.Y.) netted a brace on a pair of free kicks and added an assist as the Mercy College men's soccer team trounced East Coast Conference rival Dowling College, 5-1, on Tuesday afternoon.
Mercy's record improves to 8-3-2 overall and 3-3 in the ECC while Dowling drops to 2-10-1 (0-6). The Mavericks were also ranked in the NSCAA East region earlier in the day for the sixth straight week, coming in at No. 7 this week.
The Mavericks were surprised as Dowling came out firing on all cylinders, controlling possession early and ripping three shots in the opening 10 minutes. That did not last for long, however, as senior forward William Koki (Aurora, Colo.) put Mercy ahead 1-0 in the 11th minute. Leon sent a long ball into the corner for senior forward Ernest Afful (Columbus, Ohio), who took it to the end line and delivered the ball across the face of the goal, where Koki slid in to nick it past his defender and sophomore goalkeeper Matt Bonomini (Holbrook, N.Y.)
Mercy kept up the pressure and it nearly paid off again in the 22nd minute as senior back Manuel Paulino (Barranquilla, Colombia) rose up on a corner to send a header at goal, but missed just wide right. The Mavericks did break through again at the 29-minute mark when junior forward Ransmond Aboagye (Bronx, N.Y.) was brought down in the box by Bonomini and awarded a penalty. Leon stepped up to the spot and stutter-stepped on his run-up before slotting it into the lower left corner to make it 2-0. Leon added another insurance goal in the 27th minute on a free kick, again drawn by Aboagye, from 19 yards out and the Mavericks carried the 3-0 lead into halftime.
Mercy picked up another two goals early in the second half as well. Sophomore midfielder Terrell Chapman (Baldwin, N.Y.) connected on a header off a deep free kick by sophomore midfielder Juan Carlos Murgueitio (Jackson Heights, N.Y.) in the 51st minute and Koki capped things off with a brilliant display of skill as he ran onto a cross from Afful, dribbled around Bonomini then pulled the ball back and through two onrushing defenders before sending it back across to Afful, who blasted it into the top shelf to give Mercy the five-goal edge.
Dowling pulled one back in the 66th minute as junior back Joe Henton (Leicester, England) finished a pass from freshman forward Justin Fitzpatrick (West Babylon, N.Y.) to make it 5-1. Mercy still dominated the run of play through the remainder of the match, though, and held on for the decisive victory.
Koki's goal and assist pushed him into sole possession of first place in the ECC in both goals (nine) and points (21). Junior goalkeeper Nick Papas (Castleton, N.Y.) made three saves between the posts while Bonomini managed three.
Head Coach Chris Smith and the Mavericks will continue ECC play as they host the University of the District of Columbia (4-5-2, 1-3-1) on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 3:00 p.m.
