By Danny Contreras
A defensive blunder from CCSU followed by a strike from Farleigh Dickinson University midfielder Dominic Reinold on the 39th minute was enough to see CCSU keep its winless streak in.
The loss extended the CCSU winless streak to six matches and kept them in the bottom of the NEC league with just two points out of a possible 18 from six games.
“Look, the players are in their entirety human, we cannot expect them to not make mistakes. But we can say that we were the better team out there for ninety minutes. We created chances and we dominated with possession. We just gotta believe in the win, regroup and prepare for the next game,” said Head Coach Shaun Green.
The game started uneventfully with both teams sharing possession, passing the ball around not trying to attack each others’ goal — keeping the ball in the midfield. Then on the fifth minute, CCSU defender Ian Smurthwaite made a run down the left flank and tested the FDU goalkeeper, Jacob Lissek, with a curling ball directed at the right post, which was denied by a two handed save.
CCSU’s momentum was shortly broken when the referee called a CCSU midfielder for a “stud jump.”
Awarded a free-kick, the Knights’ went into the CCSU box to try and score an early goal. The ball was met by the feet of FDU’s Michael Calderon who passed it back from the box. The rebound was received by FDU and crossed at midfield but was blocked by CCSU senior, Robert Cavener, who was awarded a free kick off a FDU dive.
Following the free kick, the ball was won on the midfield by Menzies who made a through ball for CCSU striker Terrell Whitting, who ran down the center with pressure from FDU. Whitting took the shot, striking the ball a little too low, elevating it past the crossbar, out for the goal kick.
“We do not have natural wingers in our team and therefore this is something that we cannot pursue if we want to get wins. We have to play at our team’s strength and that’s why we are in the pursuit of a diamond formation in the midfield for that we can create more chances for ourselves,” said Green.
Minutes later, a handball was called against FDU. The shot was taken by CCSU’s Eduardo Ortiz, with little outcome.
On the 22nd minute a CCSU handball was called awarding the Knights a free-kick. The kick was short and intercepted by Whitting.
Only yards away from the goal kick line, Whitting pulled a backward pass for any CCSU player in the box. Unfortunately, there were none and Whitting became frustrated at the lack of support.
“Frustration is part of the game,” said Coach Green, “you cannot expect the players to be of some other kind of nature and not get frustrated when things don’t go their way. They’re still human.”
A break came for FDU as Dominic Reinold took a shot from ten yards out; the effort was saved by Occhialini. The punted the ball down the field, was received by Connor Smith who then passed it back in order to start an attack.
Soon after, Cavener received the ball on the left with pressure. Trying to clear the ball away from danger, he made a pass to Occhiliani, but the pass was too strong and it bounced off the keeper’s feet.
Reinold capitalized on this and made a run for the ball. The CCSU keeper and FDU’s midfielder raced for the ball, but it was ultimately Reinold’s feet that got to it first giving the Knights the lead 1-0, with five minutes remaining.
CCSU started the half explosively. Whitting won the ball in the FDU half and took a low shot on goal but the effort was saved. Minutes later it was the CCSU defense that joined the attack.
With time running down and CCSU not capitalizing on their chances, the final chance for CCSU to win the match came in the form of Eduardo Ortiz who received a cross from Smith, and struck the ball with no success.
CCSU came up short once again on Sunday to Sacred Heart, losing 1-0.
