BROOKLYN, NY - The Medgar Evers College men's soccer team battled the University of St. Joseph at Kingsborough Community College on Saturday, September 7.

The Cougars (0-3) fell to the Bluejays (2-0) by a final score of 2-1. 

Medgar recorded six of the first seven total shots and seven of the first ten, but neither team recorded a shot on goal in the opening 24 minutes.

St. Joseph then scored twice in a five-minute offensive flurry. Hayden Burbank of USJ first tested MEC goalkeeper Carl-Henry Obeissant in the 25th minute, which forced an acrobatic kick save from the keeper. Burbank then got wide open in the box and finished off a low cross in the 26th minute, before galloping through the Medgar defense and crossing to a teammate who then scored in the 29th minute. 

The Cougars consolidated their defense and held on until halftime, thanks to a number of timely blocks by defenders Jordan Coke, Papa Samb, Ibrahima Beye, Rushane Nicely, and Nana Asafu-Adjaye, as well as a pair of Obeissant saves.

The defense held resolute at the start of the second half and the offense generated chances, and still the score held at 2-0. In the 61st minute, Beye took the ball in defense and dribbled almost the entire length of the pitch by himself, mazing through the Bluejay defense, and forcing a save from the keeper. Head Coach Jack Thelusma moved Beye into the striker position, and he won a free kick from 25 yards out in the 64th minute.

Abdul Edwards produced a beautiful knuckleball free kick which he fired into the top left corner - there was nothing the USJ defense or keeper could do about it.

Obeissant produced a number of saves throughout the remainder of the game, including a penalty kick, to keep the Cougars in contention, but the final score of 2-1 held. The sophomore keeper finished with nine saves, while Beye and Edwards finished with a team-best four shots apiece.

The Cougars return to action on Wednesday, September 11, for a road contest against St. Joseph's College - Brooklyn at 4:30 pm.