RODERICK’S LAST-MINUTE GOAL SENDS MEN’S SOCCER TO 2-1 VICTORY OVER CALDWELL

Box Score vs. Caldwell - September 10, 2008

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Sept. 10, 2008) - Junior midfielder Graeme Roderick (Liverpool, England) notched the game-winning tally with 14 seconds left in regulation on Wednesday evening to lift the Molloy College men's soccer team to a 2-1 win against Caldwell College in its home opener at the Dean G. Skelos Sports Complex in Rockville Centre, N.Y. With the decision, the Lions went to 1-3 on the year. As for the Cougars, they dropped to 2-3 overall.

Roderick's goal came off a feed from junior forward John-Paul Hughes (Manchester, England). On the play, Hughes dished the ball off to Roderick, who then spinned around a defender and put an eight-yard shot past the out-stretched arms of Caldwell senior keeper John Plaugic (Kearny, N.J.). The ball found its way inside the left post and touched the netting to give Roderick his first marker of the season.

Molloy also opened up the scoring in the contest in the 54th-minute when senior forward Nick D' Alessandro (West Hempstead, N.Y.) received a through ball from sophomore midfielder Jose Batista (Forest Hills, N.Y.) and punched a shot into the goal from the close left wing. That was his second tally of the 2008 campaign.

Six minutes later, the Cougars tied the match up at 1-all as freshman forward Jonathan Costa (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) scored with a wide-open net. Junior midfielder Justin Miller (Monroe, N.J.) was credited with the assist after his shot caused the rebound, which was put back by Costa.

Plaugic made a game-high five saves for Caldwell, while senior goaltender Ettore Morelli (North Bellmore, N.Y.) turned aside four shots for Molloy. The Lions held a 20-9 advantage in shots and a 7-2 edge in corner kicks.

Head Coach Danny Longo and his squad return to the field this Friday when they close out their short two-game homestand against Lock Haven University. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.