Firebirds Earn East Region Victory vs. Goldey-Beacom, 3-1

WASHINGTON, DC – The University of the District of Columbia men's soccer team earned a quality in-region victory, 3-1 vs. Goldey-Beacom College in its final home game of the regular season at UDC Field on a chilly Wednesday afternoon.

The Firebirds, who are ranked No. 7 for the 2^nd week in a row in the NCAA Division II East Region poll released late this afternoon, improved to 13-4 overall this season. UDC has won five of its last six games, including the last three. The Lightning, meanwhile, had its school-record unbeaten streak of 10 games ended with this loss and fell to 13-4-1 overall.

UDC struck first nearly 15 minutes into the action when senior defender Thomas Alvarez charged a failed clear attempt and blasted a shot from about 30 yards out that deflected off of a Lightning defender and into the left corner of the net. The goal was the first of Alvarez's two-year career at UDC and gave the hosts an early 1-0 lead.

About 14 minutes later, sophomore midfielder Gabriel Torres earned his 10^th assist of the year via a lovely through ball that split two defenders and found an open Raphael Pacano. The senior forward then fired from the top of the box, finishing left corner for his 9^th goal of the season and 4^th goal in the last three games.

By halftime, UDC had held the highest scoring team in the nation (3.18 goals per-game) scoreless while managing to score two goals against a Lightning defense that hadn't allowed a goal in its last four outings.

In the second half, the high-powered Lightning offense got on the board a little over 10 minutes in on a breakaway goal by Mateus Silvestre. GBC took advantage of a breakaway opportunity immediately following a UDC corner kick, and Nicolas Jaramillo lofted a well-placed cross into the box for Silvestre, who hammered it home for the goal to bring the visitors within a goal, 2-1.

Over the next 33 minutes, UDC out-shot GBC 8-3 and took six corner kicks to zero by the Lightning in that span, as junior midfielder Kelvin Hererra scored an insurance goal for the Firebirds with about 1:30 remaining in regulation to make it 3-1. GBC managed only one shot at the very last second in regulation which was saved by UDC goalkeeper Joao Brusamolin, and the Firebirds went on to win by the final score of 3-1.

UDC outshot Goldey-Beacom, 23-11 for the game and took seven corner kicks to GBC's four. The Firebirds also had six fewer fouls (20-14). Bruasmolin (7-3) stopped four of five shots faced in the win, and Suhail Bismilla (9-5-2) made nine saves and allowed three goals in the loss.

The Firebirds have one regular season game remaining – an ECC road contest in Flushing, NY vs. Queens College on Saturday, October 28^th at 1 p.m. With a win at Queens, or a Mercy College loss vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (Saturday, 3 p.m.), UDC can clinch a No. 2 seed in the ECC Championship Tournament and host a semifinal game.