Box Score SCHENECTADY, NY – Senior
Jon Bellock (Manchester, CT) netted his first goal of the season and
Tripp Pietrak (Amherst, NY) scored three goals to lead the Union College men's soccer team to a 4-0 win over Nazareth in non-conference action at College Park Field Saturday evening. Union stands at 5-0 on the season, while the Nazareth drops to 2-2-2.
Pietrak opened the scoring in the sixth minute after accepting a feed from
Chris Poey (Amherst, MA). Pietrak tallied again in the 31
st minute with an unassisted score. Pietrak picked up a long pass from
John Mara (Concord, MA), then dribbled around defender, drew Nazareth goaltender Trey Barresi (Lansing, NY) out to the right before shooting into the left of the net.
Nazareth threatened in the 35
th minute when Justin Flores (Schenectady, NY) sent in a shot from the low right, but Union netminder
Rob Kramer (Westport, CT) made a diving save to keep the Golden Flyers off the scoreboard.
Pietrak netted his eighth goal of the season and capped an 11-point weekend with a goal in the 69
th minute before Bellock gave the Dutchmen a 4-0 lead just over a minute later on what appeared to be a cross, but his shot bent just inside the top of the far post. Poey and
Brendan Steiner (Madison, CT) collected assists on Pietrak's final goal.
The Golden Flyers had several opportunities to get on the board late in the game, first in the 94th minute when sophomore Philip Holmberg (Malmo, Sweden) fired on a free kick, but Kramer made the save. Greg Blanchard (Seneca Falls, NY) sent in a shot with just over a minute left in the game, which again was handled by Kramer, this time with a diving effort. Flores gave a last-minute effort with 27 seconds remaining, sending in a long shot that looked like it would soar just over Kramer's reach, but the shot careened off the crossbar, ending the threat.
Union held a 20-9 shot advantage and a 5-0 lead in corner kicks.
Kramer made four saves for his second shutout of the season, while Barresi stopped 8 shots.
The Dutchmen are back in action on Friday, September 21, when they open Liberty League play in a 4 pm home game against Hobart. Nazareth hosts Rochester on September 18 at 4 pm.
