The Medgar Evers College men's soccer team continued its historic start to the 2026 season Thursday evening, earning a convincing 3-0 victory over York College in the Cougars' home and CUNYAC opener at the York College Athletic Complex. With the victory, the Cougars improved to 4-0-1 overall (1-0 CUNYAC), remaining unbeaten through its first five matches. York dropped to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in conference competition.
The Cougars established control early, repeatedly testing York goalkeeper Alexander Cruz during the opening half. Medgar Evers generated 15 shots in the first 45 minutes, compared to just two for the Cardinals, and eventually broke through in the 34th minute.
At 33:34, sophomore Kevin Blackstock Jr. opened the scoring, finishing a chance set up by Mouhammadou Diallo to give the Cougars a 1-0 advantage. Blackstock Jr. continued to be a constant threat throughout the match, finishing with six shots and two shots on goal.
Medgar Evers doubled its lead just before halftime. In the 44th minute, Diallo found the back of the net off an assist from Mamadou Seye, sending the Cougars into the break with a 2-0 edge.
The second half saw more of the same offensive pressure from Medgar Evers. The Cougars added another 15 shots after the break, continuing to force York's defense and goalkeeper into difficult situations. Blackstock Jr. nearly added another goal in the 70th minute when his attempt struck the post.
Diallo eventually put the match out of reach in the 76th minute, scoring his second goal of the evening after receiving a pass from Shammar Edwards. The two-goal performance gave Diallo a team-high three points on the night, while Edwards finished with a goal assist in addition to his defensive contributions.
Diallo's performance was part of a dominant offensive showing by the Cougars. Medgar Evers finished the night with 30 total shots and 12 shots on goal, compared to five shots and two on target for York. The Cougars also held a 4-2 advantage in first-half shots on goal and forced Cruz to make nine saves over the 90 minutes.
The Cougars were equally effective defensively. Clirian Nunez started in goal and recorded one save during the opening half before Vendel Joseph took over for the second half and made one save. Together, the two goalkeepers preserved Medgar Evers' second shutout of the season.
While York managed a few opportunities following the intermission, including saves by Joseph on shots from Christopher Garcia and Jason Valeriano, the Cardinals were unable to generate sustained pressure. Medgar Evers continued to create chances throughout the closing stages and comfortably protected its three-goal cushion.
The Cougars' offensive balance was evident throughout the box score. Shackoneal Myrurrie recorded a team-high nine shots, while Diallo registered five shots and four shots on goal. Blackstock Jr. added six shots, and Edwards and Seye each contributed assists. Overall, Medgar Evers outshot York 30-5 and held a 12-2 edge in shots on target.
Thursday's result also gave the Cougars an important conference victory in their first CUNYAC contest of the campaign, as Medgar Evers continues its unbeaten opening stretch.
The Cougars return to action Monday evening, when they travel to SUNY Delhi to face the Broncos in non-conference action. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
