By JOSH VESHIA
Staff Writer
The Golden Knights men’s soccer team suffered a defeat in their season-opening match against Mercy College. The game consisted of one goal scored by freshman Donovan Cesar around the 64th minute to lead the Mavericks to a first game victory.
Mercy outshot the Golden Knights with 13 shots, including six on goal. Saint Rose was held to 11 shots, just three on goal.
In the league-opener of his senior campaign, goalkeeper Colan Balkwell managed to stop five shots, including a free kick in the first half. Unfortunately for Balkwell and the rest of the team, one goal was all it took for the Mavericks to come out victorious.
“We have had a fantastic preseason and we were really on a high going into the game,” said coach Stephen Hogan, now in his second year as the head coach. “Once we pressed them and moved it quickly we created chances. I think we got unlucky with some decisions from the officials, but hey, that’s the way it goes.”
Coach Hogan saw the potential for improvements in ball accuracy as well as the speed at which the ball was moved around, and admitted that it was a tough loss to take.
Senior goalkeeper Christian Esposito felt the team played well despite coming up short of an opening game victory.
“I thought it was a good game. We showed a lot of improvements from this past season,” he said. “Our focuses have been on fitness and team chemistry, and I believe this game further provided us with the proper tools to succeed in the future. It was certainly a humbling defeat; however, we have high aspirations for the season ahead.”
Romaine Williamson showed a lot of promise in his debut for the Golden Knights. He managed a team-high four shots, two of which were taken on goal.
Williamson is a 6-foot-4-inch sophomore forward from Clarendon, Jamaica. Last season, he played Division 1 soccer at the University of Hartford, where he made 17 appearances including nine starts. He looks as though he could be a big factor in the success of the team as the season progresses.
Freshman Ryan Rooney from Ardee, Ireland, had two shots during the course of the game, including one on goal. Rooney is in his second year at Saint Rose but did not dress for the team last season.
Junior leader Joshua Hanif also had two shots, neither taken on goal. Hanif started in seven games last year for the Golden Knights and made a total of 14 appearances.
Tyler Pomakoy and Nathan Brown each had one shot, neither of which was taken on goal. Lewis Achu had a shot in the 56th minute after being subbed in during the first period.
The Golden Knights men’s soccer team was voted 11th in the NE-10 Conference poll, receiving 41 points. Champions in the past three seasons, Southern New Hampshire was voted number one receiving 13 of the 14 first place votes. Southern Connecticut was the only other school receiving a first place vote. They sit at number two, with 154 total votes.
The Golden Knights hope to rebound in their next game when they travel to Amherst to take on the Wildcats of Daemen College on Saturday, September 12.
Daemen will also have a new face in goal, as four-year starter Matt Daddario graduated last season. For the Golden Knights, this could be an opportunity to find the back of the net and restore the momentum they felt during the preseason.
“We are in the strongest D2 conference in the country, but I believe in these boys and their ability to get us there as a team,” said coach Hogan. “They are a great bunch to be around and are all willing to work for what we want to achieve. Our goal is to take every game as it comes and get to the playoffs.”
