First-Half Goal Flurry Leads to Men’s Soccer’s Triumph Over Brooklyn College

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Behind Victor Naci's (Bordeaux, France/Bernard Palissy) second brace in three games – as well as goals from Matthew Kieblesz (Middle Village, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy), Alex Helfant (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy International), and Diego Volpe (Long Branch, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) – the St. Joseph's University, NY (Brooklyn) men's soccer team defeated borough rivals Brooklyn College, 5-1, on Saturday night at Aviator Field.

How It Happened

The Bears (2-1) were awarded a free kick 18 minutes into the match. Francisco Garcia (Brooklyn, N.Y./Park Slope Collegiate) found Kieblesz in the box, who headed home the game's opening goal.

In the 31', Christian Chimborazo (Elmhurst, N.Y./Queens Technical), running up the right flank, delivered a cross for Naci in the box. The forward had his initial shot saved by but played the rebound past the Bulldog keeper, growing the lead to 2-0.

Naci's goal began an eight-minute period where the Bears bagged three goals. Two minutes after he doubled the advantage, the Bordeaux native dispossessed a BC center back and dished the ball to an open Helfant, who beat the keeper on the near post, 3-0. It was capped off by Naci's second of the match off a feed from Menzi Simelane (Johannesburg, South Africa/St. Stithians College) past a pair of defenders with over three minutes left in the half.

The Bears continued to apply pressure on the attack in the second half. Three minutes past the hour mark, Volpe found the lower left hand part of the goal thanks to a short pass from Abdul Altabchi (Columbus, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) to add a fifth goal in favor of the navy and gray.

The Bulldogs (0-3-1) found a consolation goal in the final 10 minutes courtesy of Alexander Mishiyev.

For the Bears

• Naci finished with five points. His double brought him level atop the Skyline goalscoring chart.

• Simelane provided a pair of assists, collecting two points.

• Kieblesz, Helfant, and Volpe all scored their first goals of the campaign.

• Garcia and Altabchi each recorded assists.

• Leonel Bravo (Astoria, N.Y./Queens Vocational & Technical) finished with three saves

Up Next

The Bears close out their season-opening four-match homestand on Wednesday, September 14 as they host Hunter College. Kickoff from Randall's Island Field 74 is slated for 7 p.m. with live stats and video available on sjbkathletics.com/live.