CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell College men's soccer team earned its first victory of the season with a 3-2 decision over visiting East Stroudsburg University in a non-league match Thursday afternoon at Caldwell Field. Sophomore forward Dylan Ross (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) scored twice, including the game-winner in the 84th minute for the Cougars, who are now 1-4-1 on the season.

Ross notched his first goal of the game in the 28th minute, when he collected a rebound off a shot by sophomore forward Evan Teitelbaum (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) and scored from the right side for a 1-0 Caldwell lead. Less than two minutes before halftime, freshman defender Evan Marques (Linden, NJ/St. Joseph's) sent a long pass to senior forward Facundo Zalazar (Buenos Aires City, Argentina/San Agustin), who deflected the ball to junior forward Kris Olsen-Barr (Brick Twp., NJ/Brick). Olsen-Barr beat Warriors' goalkeeper Callum Hampson to put the Cougars up 2-0.

The two-goal lead lasted until the 62nd minute, when Nemanja Nikolic scored from the right side to make the score 2-1. Under three minutes later, a header off an East Stroudsburg corner kick was played with a hand on the goal line, resulting in a red card for the Caldwell defender and a penalty kick for the Warriors. Nick Fischer converted the penalty kick to tie the game at 2-2.

With time running down and the Cougars playing with 10 men, Ross jumped on a loose ball in the penalty area to the right of the goal and blasted a shot from a sharp angle just inside the left post for the go-ahead goal, his third of the season.

Senior goalkeeper Brian Agostini (N. Caldwell, NJ/West Essex) recorded four saves, including a diving stop to his right in the 52nd minute. Hampson finished with one save.

The Cougars host Chestnut Hill College in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Saturday, Sept. 22. The game is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. at Caldwell Field.

CC – 2 1 - 3
ESU – 0 2 - 2
Scoring Summary: 1. CC - Dylan Ross 2 (Evan Teitelbaum), 27:51. 2. CC - Kris Olsen-Barr 2 (Facundo Zalazar, Evan Marques), 43:10. 3. ESU - Nemanja Nikolic 1 (Denis Loboda), 61:16. 4. ESU - Nick Fischer 4 (penalty kick), 63:43. 5. CC - Ross 3 (unassisted), 83:49.
Shots: CC – 8; ESU – 13
Saves: CC – Brian Agostini 4; ESU – Callum Hampson 1
Corners: CC - 1; ESU - 7
Fouls: CC - 22; ESU - 25
Offsides: CC - 3; ESU – 4
Cautions: CC – Elhusseini (32:06), Barros (57:22); ESU - Schook (57:08), Loboda (74:16), Cerda (74:58), Fischer (77:48), Lopez (79:01)
Ejections: CC - Elhusseini (63:43); ESU - none