By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A direct kick in the 53rd minute proved the difference as the St. Joseph’s Marauders defeated the Aquinas Li’l Irish 2-0 in non-league action Friday night at Wegmans Stadium.
Junior Mason Benz converted from the top of the 18-yard box for the eventual game winner.
“They had a few guys on the other side for righties to curve it in and my teammate he’s a righty,” Benz said referring to fellow Marauder Tom Stankowski. “I figured they thought he was shooting, so I just tried to come in left side with it.”
With rain showers passing through the area, Benz found the back of the net through a sea of bodies.
“He kept it low which was the thing,” said Marauder head coach Mike Thoin. “He used the rain. As soon as it started raining we started looking to keep it on the deck and let the ball pick up speed.
Eight minutes later, Ben Galkiewicz doubled the visitor’s advantage.
“Ben works his butt off all the time,” Thoin added. “He deserved one. He finally got one. He’s a happy camper, so maybe he can start to string a bunch.”
St. Joseph’s controlled play early. Stankowski got the Marauders started with a pair of shots on net in the game’s opening moments.
Aquinas sophomore goalkeeper Brian House stymied the Marauders with three saves in the first stanza including a stop inside the box when Stankowski sprung Kyle Kirsch with a diagonal pass through the Li’l Irish back line.
“I was a little frustrated with them,” Thoin said of his mindset at halftime. “They played 25 minutes really, really well. Then for the last 15 they decided wanted to do things by themselves. We talked about it at halftime. Put it on the deck. They passed the ball. We got the first one, and it broke the ice.”
Aquinas threatened early in the second half with a pair of corner kicks. The latter of which Justin Pumputis sent a header just over the cross bar.
St. Joseph’s improved to 8-1-1 with the win.
“It’s been a strange year,” Thoin noted. “I was telling Coach Gleason when we got here today. I dressed 19 today. I’ve got a 27-man roster. We’re starting to come back, and we’re starting to get healthy at the right time. We’re pretty banged up.
Aquinas fell to 1-9-1. The Li’l Irish host Brockport on Saturday. A 3 p.m. start time is scheduled.
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