PHILADELPHIA, PA - The Saint Peter's University men's soccer team opened the 2019 campaign with a 2-1 victory over Saint Joseph's University. Junior midfielder
Tom Coulson and junior midfielder
Immanuel Sierck were both able to find the back of the net for the Peacocks, who rallied from an early 1-0 deficit to secure the season-opening win.
Game Notes
- Saint Joseph's struck first Friday night, with senior forward Leon Maric finding the upper right corner from about 15 meters out.
- At the 32' mark of the first half, Hawks defender Michael Mullins was cited for a second yellow card, leaving Saint Joseph's to play down a man and giving the Peacocks a one-man advantage through the remainder of the contest.
- With just four minutes left in the first half, Coulson was able to capitalize on a free kick from about 20 meters and sent it just out of reach of the keeper to tie the game for the Peacocks.
- The score went unchanged until the waning minutes of regulation. In the 79th minute, Sierck registered the game-winner thanks to a pair of feeds from senior captain Frederik Lindqvist and freshman Bernhard Bratsberg. The game-deciding scoring sequence started when Bratsberg sent a cross to Lindqvist in the box, who was able to head it back to Sierck for a shot on the far post.
Inside the Numbers
- Friday's win marks the team's first season-opening win since 2015, when the Peacocks defeated the University of Massachusetts, 3-0, at home.
- The win also marks the first time since 2012 that Saint Peter's has won a season opener on the road, with the previous victory coming against Seton Hall by a 3-1 margin.
- The Peacocks stayed aggressive on offense throughout the game, racking up 18 shots throughout the game, 13 of which were on target.
- Junior goalkeeper Robbie Anderson recovered after the initial goal by the Hawks, recording three saves on the night to pick up the win between the pipes.
- Friday's victory also was the program's first against Saint Joseph's. The two schools had faced each other five times in the past, most recently in 2018 when the Hawks won by a 3-1 tally.
Coach's Quotes - Julian Richens
- "Opening games of the season can be tense at times, but it was a good start and a good performance tonight."
- "We kept the ball very well at times and it was great to see Immanuel (goal) and Bernhard (assist) have an immediate impact in their first game with us."
Up Next
- The Peacocks will travel to Annapolis, Maryland, to participate in the 2019 Navy Tournament next weekend. The team will battle UMBC on Friday, September 6 at 7 p.m., followed by a matchup with tournament host Navy on Sunday, September 8 at 7 p.m.
