BATISTA EARNS HAT TRICK AS MEN’S SOCCER SINKS NEW HAVEN, 4-1, IN HOME FINALE

Box Score vs. New Haven - October 22, 2009

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Oct. 22, 2009) - Senior midfielder Jose Batista (Rego Park, N.Y.) raked his second hat trick of the 2009 season on Thursday afternoon to power the Molloy College men's soccer squad to a 4-1 victory over University of New Haven at the Dean G. Skelos Sports Complex in Rockville Centre, N.Y. Also, Batista had a game-high six shots as the Lions improved their ledger to 6-8-1 overall. As for the Chargers, they dropped to 1-15 on the campaign.

Batista struck for his first goal of the match just seven-plus minutes in when he took a long ball from sophomore midfielder Anthony Morais (Mineola, N.Y.) for a breakaway. The Rego Park native then placed the ball over a reaching New Haven sophomore goalkeeper in Jonathan Creem (Naugatuck, Conn.). The Chargers stormed right back six minutes later when sophomore forward Anthony Romano (Plainview, N.Y.) was taken down in the penalty box. Sophomore midfielder Juan Carlos Rafael (Lima, Peru) scored on the PK to tie the game.

However, in the 21st-minute, freshman Tyler De La Torre (Valley Stream, N.Y.) gave Batista the ball just to the right of the box. He then punched a shot into the left-side netting to give the Lions back the lead at 2-1. Soon after, in the 34th-minute, Batista picked up his hat trick as freshman defenseman Jonathan Castano (Oakland Gardens, N.Y.) sent a long ball that deflected off of Creem. Batista then took the rebound, and drove it into a wide-open goal. Eventually, Molloy headed into the break ahead by a 3-1 count.

During the second stanza, freshman defenseman Hector Roche (Bellerose, N.Y.) ended off the scoring. Junior forward/midfielder Mike Adamcewicz (Hicksville, N.Y.) got the assist on the play. In goal, rookie netminder Michael Hunter (Merrick, N.Y.) made two saves for the Lions, and put his mark at 2-2 on the year. Creem had just one save for the Chargers. Overall, Molloy held a 13-8 margin in shots. Both squads had one corner kick apiece.

Head Coach Danny Longo and his squad return to action this Tuesday when they begin a season-ending two-game road trip in Caldwell, N.J. at Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference foe Caldwell College. The opening kick is scheduled for 3 p.m.