Leon Jr. Takes Team Scoring Lead as Men's Soccer Hosts Philadelphia
Box Score DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 24, 2014) – Senior Danny Leon Jr. (Flushing, N.Y. / Benjamin Cardozo) netted the Mavericks' 10th goal of the season to become the team's leading scorer as the Mercy College men's soccer team hosted Philadelphia University in a non-conference bout on Wednesday afternoon.
The Mavericks immediately bounced back from an early second half deficit but fell, 2-1, on a late winner to drop to 1-5 overall, while Philadelphia is now 3-3-1.
Neither keeper was tested much over a slow first half as the teams combined for just three shots on goal, but things opened up in the second half. Philadelphia briefly took the lead on a long ball over the defense in the 58th minute, but Leon Jr. equalized just 15 seconds later with a beautiful dribbling display to beat several defenders while moving across the top of the box before his deflected shot found the back of the net.
Junior Luis Lizarzaburu (Yorktown Heights, N.Y. / Yorktown) made multiple key stops, including a sliding save against a breakaway, but unfortunately for the Mavericks, the Rams found a in the 71st minute on a deep shot that just curled into the left side of the net.
Lizarzaburu stopped five of the seven shots on target he faced, while the Mavericks put three shots on frame over the 90 minutes, including two from senior Tafari Newman (Bronx, N.Y. / Evander Childs).
Head Coach Chris Smith and the Mavericks (1-5 overall, 1-0 ECC) will return to East Coast Conference play as they host rival the University of Bridgeport (2-3, 1-1) on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 3:00 p.m.
