Caldwell College's men's soccer team opened the 2004 season with a 1-0 overtime win at Bentley College on Friday, then lost to No. 19 Franklin Pierce 5-0 on Sunday. The Cougars, who were 8-9-5 and advanced to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference finals a year ago, are now 1-1 on the season after the two nonconference matches.
Freshman defender Andrew Fraser (Kingston, Jamaica/Wolmer's) made his collegiate debut a memorable one, scoring the game-winning goal just two minutes into the first overtime period. Fraser capitalized on a miscommunication by the Bentley defenders and beat Falcons' netminder Greg Ott with a hard shot into the lower right corner of the goal.
Junior goalkeeper Mike Turdo (West Paterson, NJ/Passaic Valley) made five of his six saves in the first half, including a pair of stops that snuffed out the Falcons' best scoring chances. Turdo stopped Mike Purpura's shot on a breakaway in the ninth minute, then saved Steven Burton's shot from eight yards out in the 44th minute. The victory was also Turdo's first of his collegiate career.
Junior forward Kevin Libbos (Ontario, Canada/Glengarry) had an opportunity to end the game in regulation, but his header went just wide of the open goal in the 88th minute, setting up Fraser's heroics in overtime.
In Sunday's game, the Cougars were outplayed by a Franklin Pierce squad that is ranked 19th in the nation by the NSCAA/adidas Coaches' Poll. The Ravens scored a pair of goals in the first half, then found the net three times in a fifteen minute span during the second half. Turdo made four saves as the Cougars were outshot 17-11. Sophomore midfielder Jorge Ibarcena (Lima, Peru) led Caldwell with five shots.
The Cougars return to action this Thursday when they travel to face Bloomfield College to open the CACC schedule. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Caldwell 1, Bentley 0 (ot)
Scoring Summary: 1. CC, Andrew Fraser 1 (unassisted), 91:55.
Shots: CC - 18; BC - 17
Saves: Turdo, CC - 6; Ott, BC - 4
Corner Kicks: CC - 5; BC - 2
Fouls: CC - 11; BC - 10
Cards: CC - none; BC - Barrett (yellow)
No. 19 Franklin Pierce 5, Caldwell 0
Scoring Summary: 1. FP, Elphic (McColl), 7:00. 2. FP, Joyce (Stewart), 36:51. 3. FP, Joyce (Miller), 52:33. 4. McNeil (McColl), 67:01. 5. FP, Stewart (McColl), 77:22.
Shots: CC - 11; FP - 17
Saves: Turdo, CC - 4; Thorpe, FP (75:44) - 2; Luginsland, FP (14:16) - 0
Corner Kicks: CC - 2; FP - 3
Fouls: CC - 14; FP - 19
Cards: none
