Courtesy of RITAthletics.com
ROCHESTER, NY — Junior Adam Bem (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) scored in the 99th minute to give the RIT (3-5-1, 1-2-0 Liberty League) men’s soccer team a 2-1 win over Clarkson University (5-5-1, 1-2-0 Liberty League) in a critical Liberty League game from chilly Tiger Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Tigers rallied to earn their first league win of the season.
Shots were 9-3 in favor of RIT, who took eight corner kicks to two for Clarkson. Dean Kouroupas(Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) and Bem scored for the Tigers, while Anthony DeFeo (Rochester, NY/Hilton) and Joey Gianakopoulos (Bexley, OH/St. Charles Prep) had assists. Peter Cinibulk(Bellbrook, OH/Bellbrook) got the win in net, while Ian Roeloffs took the loss, making two saves. Stephen Klimek scored the Golden Knights goal.
Clarkson took a lead on a goal in the 10th minute. Klimek took a pass from Aidan Subra inside the RIT penalty area. He turned and fired into the upper right corner to give Clarkson an early advantage.
Anthony DeFeo (Rochester, NY/Hilton) made a run down the left side in the 15th minute, working his way inside the Clarkson box. DeFeo centered a ball that Roeloffs was able to get to just before Gene Sicoli (Commack, NY/Commack) could get a shot away. Tyler Hatch (Concord, NH/Tilton School)centered a ball with two minutes to play in the first half, but Roeloffs came off his line again to cit off the pass before the Tigers could connect.
Clarkson had a chance to take a two-goal lead early in the second half when Klimek fired a shot just wide in the 60th minute.
RIT tallied the equalizer in the 72nd minute on a goal from Kouroupas. DeFeo got free and sent a service into the Clarkson box that Kouroupas redirected with a flick off his head into the side to tie the score at 1-1. Both Hatch and DeFeo had outside chances at goals late in regulation, but could get a shot on target.
Simon Garno (Hilton, NY/Hilton) had a shot saved in the 94th minute while DeFeo fired a shot wide in the 98th minute.
Moments later, Bem took a pass from Gianakopoulos and fired a shot into the far corner in the 100th minute to give the Tigers the win, sending the Tiger Stadium faithful home happy. The win snaps a four-game winless streak by the Tigers.
With the win, RIT leads the all-time series between the the two schoos, 24-20-4.
RIT returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 7 on the road at 1 p.m. against St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.
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