Freshmen Abdulai Jagana (Bronx, N.Y.) and Kevaughn John (Arima, Trinidad and Tobago) each scored a goal for the SUNY Canton men’s soccer team as the Roos dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 decision to Daemen College in their season-opener on Saturday in Canton.
Both teams traded goals in the first eight minutes of the contest as Jagana scored his first of the season in the eighth minute to tie the game at 1-1. Freshman Ashley Butterfield (Broughton, Preston, United Kingdom) picked up the assist sending a nice pass off the left wing right to a streaking Jagana.
Daemen regained a one –goal lead a minute later following a well-placed corner kick. The ball dropped out in front of the Roos goal right to a Daemen player who fired a quick shot on goal that was stopped by a great save by sophomore Sankung Sillah (Bronx, N.Y.). The ball rebounded right back out in front and Zakariah Hall one-timed it in the net.
Sillah had another outstanding save midway through the opening half with the Wildcats pressing. A hard shot was taken from 20 yards out that Sillah had to dive to his right to deflect. This time he was able to clear the ball away and deny Daemen a second chance.
The 2-1 score would hold for the remainder of the first half. Second-year head coach Mark Howlett made a few lineup changes to start the second half and the Roos took the action to the Wildcats over the next 45 minutes.
“We were slow to get started but the second half was much better,” said Howlett. “We had some great chances to win the game after we tied it early on but luck didn’t go our way today.”
John deadlocked the game for the second time just one minute into the second half when he gathered in a nice feed from Keelon Joseph (Malibar, Trinidad) and blasted a shot into the upper right corner.
Daemen had several outstanding chances shortly after the Roos tied the game but Sillah, who had six saves, came up with several more terrific stops to stymie the Wildcats.
In the final two minutes SUNY Canton had two great opportunities to get on the scoreboard. With 1:45 left, Francesco Cardillo (Tonawanda, N.Y.) started a two-on-one break but Daemen came up with a solid defensive play to keep the ball away from their net. Cardillo had another great chance in the waning seconds after Daemen went ahead 3-2 with 32 seconds left but his attempted header from 10 yards out sailed just wide of the net.
“We just need to bounce back for next weekend,” Howlett added. “We’re a very young team with a lot of new faces and we just need to get to know each other better.”
The Roos are off until next weekend when they head out to Western New York for games at Nazareth and RIT.
Max Drexler had three saves for the Wildcats and Kyle Clifford scored twice.