Firebirds Lose 3-2 in See-Saw Battle at Queens

FLUSHING, NY – The visiting University of the District of Columbia men's soccer team was defeated, 3-2 by Queens College in both teams' East Coast Conference season opener Saturday afternoon at Queens College Soccer Field.

The Firebirds (2-3-1, 0-1 ECC) scored two unanswered goals to end the first half ahead, 2-1, after falling behind, 1-0, but then surrendered two unanswered Queens goals in the 2^nd half en-route to their 3^rd loss in their last four games.

Queens improved to 3-2-1 overall and 1-0 in league play with today's win. Alejandro de Otero scored the gamewinner right around the 64-minute mark when he blasted a low shot into the middle of the goal off a corner kick played into the box by Kevin Quituizaca.

UDC junior goalkeeper Joao Brusamolin faced six shots and stopped three in a complete game effort. Queens' Michael Bolvin stopped six of eight shots faced in a complete game win.

Both teams had scoring chances early, but it was Queens that struck first via a penalty kick nearly 15 minutes in. Brusamolin was whistled for a foul on a slide-tackle when he came charging out to make a defensive stop near the top of the box. Andras Breuer took advantage by scoring on the resulting penalty kick to put the hosts up, 1-0.

UDC stayed aggressive offensively, firing three shots within the next 15 minutes, including a Kelvin Herrera blast that clanged off the left post. The Firebirds finally got on the board just before the 32-minute mark on a penalty kick goal by Gabriel Torres. Junior defender Michael Agboola drew the foul in the box, and Torres capitalized with his 3^rd penalty kick goal (4^th overall) this season to tie the score, 1-1.

Less than three minutes later, freshman midfielder Pierre LaNoire scored his 1^st collegiate goal off a double-assist by Kelvin Herrera and Michael Agboola. Herrera sent a cross into the box, and after a delay, LaNoire beat Bolvin for the go-ahead goal.

The Firebirds, who out-shot the Knights, 9-4 in the first half, took a 2-1 lead into the break.

The second half, however, belonged to Queens, as the hosts out-shot UDC, 12-9 and out-scored the Firebirds, 2-0. Saufyane Ilboudo scored the game-tying goal just before the 58-minute mark on a counter-attack, two dribbles around Brusamolin and a shot to the lower right of the goal.

About six minutes later, Queens had its go-ahead goal by de Otero, and that proved to be the gamewinner. UDC took six more shots in the remaining 25 minutes of regulation, including three shots on goal, but Bolvin was up to the task.

Next up, UDC will visit West Chester (PA) on Tues., Sept. 18 at 4 p.m.