Oct. 27, 2006
BOLIVAR, N.Y. - Freshman Samuel Maheu scored a pair of goals and goalkeeper Massimo Collu-Marchese made seven saves as the St. Bonaventure men's soccer team defeated St. Joseph's, 4-1, on Friday afternoon at Bolivar-Richburg High School.
The Bonnies, who hosted the game in Bolivar due to unplayable conditions at McGraw-Jennings Field, improved to 2-12-2 overall and 2-4-2 in the Atlantic 10 Conference - keeping hope alive for a spot in the six-team A-10 Championship next weekend. St. Bonaventure must beat Temple on Sunday in its final game of the regular season, and hope that several other teams lose one, if not both, of their last matches.
St. Bonaventure trailed 1-0 midway through the first half, but evened the score in the 35th minute when Maheu took a short pass from freshman Stephen Bortolon and drove it past Hawks keeper Bryan Benedict.
The Bonnies were awarded a free kick at midfield after a foul by St. Joe's less than two minutes later. Junior Nick Lopez booted a line drive toward the left post, which was headed back into the center by Bortolon and finally kicked out of midair and into the back of the net by midfielder Phil Amahazion to give the Bonnies a 2-1 lead at halftime.
Maheu tallied his second goal of the game and fifth of the season in the 74th minute off a pass from Jon Lopez to increase the Bona lead, 3-1, but a pesky St. Joe's offense (seven shots in the second half) would not quit. As time ticked off the clock, Collu-Marchese made two consecutive saves while on his back before freshman Magnus Leung cleared the ball to the side to keep the Bona lead intact.
All-Conference senior midfielder Kevin Omokhua slammed the door on the Hawks with a penalty kick goal in the 89th minute to increase the lead, 4-1.
St. Joseph's fell to 2-12-3 overall and 1-6-1 in the Atlantic 10. Benedict made four saves in a losing effort, as St. Bonaventure out-shot the Hawks 14-12.
The Bonnies host Temple at 1 p.m. on Sunday. If McGraw-Jennings Field remains unplayable the game will move to Bolivar at a time to be determined.
