Men’s Soccer Plays Purchase to Scoreless Draw on Senior Day

NEW YORK — After 110 minutes of action from Randall's Island, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) men's soccer team and Purchase College battled to an evenly-played 0-0 double-overtime stalemate on Saturday. The draw was the third of the season for the navy and gray (4-7-3, 2-5-3 Skyline) and the second for the Panthers (4-8-2, 1-7-2).

The Bears honored seniors William Sanchez (Jamaica, N.Y./Bayside), Eric Santiago Torres (Woodside, N.Y./Forest Hills), and Sergio Larios (Woodside, N.Y./William C. Bryant), as well as graduate student Alejandro Oliveros (Brooklyn, N.Y./Grover Cleveland) during Senior Day ceremonies prior to kickoff.

How it Happened

Matthew Kieblesz (Middle Village, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) nearly drew first blood in the 7th minute when his header, off Menzi Simelane's (Johannesburg, South Africa/St. Stithians College) corner kick, just missed the frame of goal. In the 33rd minute, Torres' set-piece nearly hit the top right corner of the goal but was saved by Purchase's shot-stopper. Those proved to be the lone shots of the period for SJC.

Jesus Cano (Brooklyn, N.Y./Cristo Rey Brooklyn) registered a pair of shots in the period including one which landed in the goalkeeper's arms in the 71st minute. Of their five shots in the second half, and 11 in regulation, the Panthers' best chance to break the deadlock came in the 77' when Leo Conte's shot hit the top of the crossbar.

The Bears outshot Purchase in the bonus sessions, 6-2. At 97', Torres' free kick from 25 yards out was saved. Four minutes later, to start the second overtime, a near-game-winner by Alex Helfant (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy International) was blocked by a Panther defender. The Bears would see two more shots before the 110th minute but the match remained scoreless.

For the Bears

• The team's six shots in OT saw them finish the game on 11 shots.

• Cano finished with a game-high four shots.

• Torres and Kieblesz record two shots each.

• Oliveros came up with four saves, including one in the second overtime.

Up Next

The Bears will take the pitch for the final time in 2021 as they face Mount Saint Mary on Tuesday at 7 p.m. from Newburgh. Live stats and video will be found on sjcbears.com/live.