BATISTA, GAMEZ AND HUGHES LEAD MEN’S SOCCER PAST QUEENS IN ECC SEMIFINALS, 6-1

Box Score vs. Queens - November 5, 2008

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Nov. 5, 2008) - Sophomore midfielder Jose Batista (Forest Hills, N.Y.) and sophomore forward Emmanuel Gamez (Freeport, N.Y.) tallied five points on two goals and an assist, while junior forward John-Paul Hughes (Manchester, England) recorded three assists to send the Molloy College men's soccer team to its first-ever postseason win with a 6-1 victory versus Queens College in the 2008 East Coast Conference Tournament on Wednesday evening at the Dean G. Skelos Sports Complex in Rockville Centre, N.Y. The contest was part of the semifinal round.

Although there was no scoring in the first half, the Lions (11-5-2, 5-2-1 ECC), who made their first playoff appearance in a 12-year existence, and the Knights (10-6-2, 5-2-1 ECC) combined to tally seven goals in the latter stanza. Gamez got things going in the 54th-minute when he notched the opening score of the contest. On the play, Hughes sent a cross to Gamez, who then put a shot off of Queens' junior keeper's Ivan Salame's (Ecuador) hands and into the back of the net.

Shortly thereafter, in the 71st-minute, senior midfielder/back Noorullah Mashriqi (Kandahar, Afghanistan) sent back a rebound from junior midfielder Mujibullah Mashriqi (Flushing, N.Y.). 25 seconds later, senior midfielder Michael Topel (Levittown, N.Y.) registered what proved to be the deciding goal off a rebound as well. Hughes was credited with his second assist of the night.

Seven minutes after that, Batista began his surge as he kicked a ball into the right corner of the goal off a short pass from Hughes. The play started off a free kick from senior midfielder Kieran Wallis (Rockville Centre, N.Y.). Then, in the 86th-minute, Molloy extended its lead to three (4-1) with a penalty kick as Batista was taken down inside the box on a breakaway. Senior midfielder William Bell (Valley Stream, N.Y.) went one-on-one with Salame and was successful.

No more than 26 seconds later, Batista struck again. This time, Gamez passed a long ball to him. Batista found himself on the fast break again and placed a shot into the right-side netting. Gamez capped off the scoring for the Lions in the 89th-minute with a marker off a feed from Batista. 

Salame stopped two shots, while Molloy senior goaltender Ettore Morelli (North Bellmore, N.Y.) made a game-high three saves. The Lions also owned a 16-6 advantage in shots and a 5-2 edge in corner kicks. Bell, Batista and junior midfielder Graeme Roderick (Liverpool, England) each took three shots. Topel and Gamez added two shots apiece. 

Following a 4-0 win against the fourth-seeded University of Bridgeport, Molloy will travel to Brookhaven, N.Y. on Saturday afternoon for a clash with top-seeded and No. 13 Dowling College in the East Coast Conference Championship match. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.