Box Score SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Stingy defense was on display Tuesday night as the Susquehanna men's soccer team (4-4-2) blanked Wilkes 2-0 for the Crusaders' sixth shutout of the season. The visiting Colonels (2-8) were held to five shots, none of which were on goal.
SU controlled the action in the early goings, challenging Wilkes goalkeeper Kyle Romm with six shots before finally breaking through in the 24th minute. A pass from Nick Fecci (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant) connected with a run by Gannon Keller (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area/Bloomsburg) who beat Romm one-on-one and buried the ball in the back left corner.
Wilkes threatened to equalize before the end of the first, but two headers from corner kicks were off-target in the final minutes of the half. The visitors' best chance, however, came in the 51st minute when midfielder Abdullah Albannay won the ball in a scramble in front of the net, then hit the left post with the ensuing volley.
The Crusaders capitalized on the miss only minutes later, scoring off a set piece when Joe DeLuca (Freehold, N.J./St. John Vianney) headed a corner kick by fellow captain David Trank (Mendham, N.J./West Morris Mendham) into the net.
The 2-0 margin proved insurmountable, though the Colonels had another opportunity in the 78th minute, but the shot sailed high.
SU held a 16-5 advantage in shots and was ahead in corner kicks by a count of 7-2. Goalkeeper Augusto Lima (Campinas, Brazil/Mercersburg Academy) picked up his fourth shutout in five starts and now has a goals-against average of 0.38.
The team will return to Landmark conference play when it hosts Scranton at Sassafras Field on Saturday, Sept. 27. The opening kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
