The Berkeley
College New York men’s soccer team defeated Culinary Institute of America 2-1
Saturday afternoon at Floyd Bennett Field in double overtime to advance to the Hudson Valley Men's Athletic Conference Championship game.
Defense was the
on the mind-set of both teams early in the first half. A total of nine offside
calls were made (seven by Berkeley) during the first 33 minutes of play. The
Knights would get on the board in the 34th minute of play; after a foul was
called on the Steels inside the Knights box, a penalty shot was taken and made
by Anton Hakansson to put the Knights up, 1-0. Berkeley would take the 1-0 lead
into the half while holding Culinary Institute to only one shot for the entire
first half.
In the second
half, The Steels would come out attacking posting six shots (four on goal) in
the first 25 minutes of play. The momentum was beginning to change for Culinary
Institute; they would eventually tie the game at 1-1 in the 69th minute of play
when Vin Loseto took a free kick shot from near mid field that sailed into the
Knights box, off the goalie and into the net. The game would
remain tied going into the overtime period.
In the overtime
period the Knights would look to end it early on a fast break give and go play,
however, Culinary Institute’s goalie Eric Hamway would have other plans as he
tipped ball just enough to make the save. Hamway would make another similar save
later in the period. Despite those close shot attempts by Berkeley College, the
score would remain 1-1 entering the second overtime.
The knights
wasted no time in the second overtime; a scramble for the ball at the top of the
Steels box was won by Ahmet Colak who squeezed a pass through a few Steel
defenders to set up Dare Aniyikaye for a bullet that saw the top corner of the
net for the game winner in the 101st minute of play. The final score
was 2-1, Berkeley College.
Berkeley College
was led by Colak and Aniyikaye whom cumulatively tallied 10 shots (six on goal),
one golden assist and one golden goal.
The Knights face Albany Pharmacy in the championship game on Sunday, November 4, at Tibbetts Brook Park at 2 P.M.
