Lakers Back on Track With a Win in Home Opener
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. - The Finger Lakes Community College men's soccer team found their groove this afternoon after earning a big win in their home opener against the Jayhawks of Jamestown Community College. The Lakers, who entered the game winless after dropping matches to Onondaga Community College and Elmira College were determined to put on a show in front of a home crowd.
The Lakers would do just that, with a come-from-behind, 4-2 victory in the team's home opener. The Jayhawks would strike early in the match, notching a goal in the score column 6 minutes into the match. The Jayhawks would carry that 1-0 advantage into the break, seemingly taking control of the pace of the game early on.
It wasn't until freshman captain Riley Green (London, England/ Ben Herd Pro Performance Academy) scored on a set piece delivered by fellow teammate Vojtech Bartosek (Prague, Czech Republic/ Anglicko-Ceske Gymnazium Amazon) to bring the game one all.
The Lakers would take that momentum and run with it as freshman Andre Budrich (Saxony, Germany/ Oberland-Gymnasium Seifhennerdorf) would chip in the go-ahead goal just one minute later, unassisted. In what turned out to be a back-and-forth second half of the match, Jamestown would score the tying goal, bringing the score to 2 apiece just 2 minutes later.
Freshman Daniel Medina (Mexico City, Mexico/ Tec Monterrey Santa Fe) came up big when it mattered most to give the Lakers the eventual game-winning goal late in the 62' of play despite struggling early in the match. Freshman Johnny Niles (Williamson, N.Y./ Williamson) would add an insurance goal in the 74' thanks to a perfectly placed pass from fellow freshman Vojtech Bartosek who secured a brace of assists in a true team effort.
Freshman goalie Ignacio Jimenez (Bogota, Colombia/ San Bartolome la Merced) made several crucial saves to hold the Lakers' lead against a strong Jamestown offensive attack, finishing with 4 saves on the day.
The Lakers will look to carry their momentum into a road match this Saturday, September 2nd at Hudson Valley Community College. The match will serve as the first of a four-game road trip where the Lakers will take on SUNY Adirondack, Columbia-Green, and Jefferson Community College(s). The Lakers will then return home for a Mid-State Athletic Conference and NJCAA Region III matchup with the Cougars of Genesee Community College on Saturday, September 16th.
