EASTON, Mass. – Two goals and an assist by junior
Josue Assantha (Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo) powered the regionally-ranked Saint Anselm College men's soccer team to a 4-0 win over Stonehill College in Northeast-10 Conference action on Wednesday night.
The Hawks improve to 4-1 on the season with a 2-0 record in NE10 play. The Skyhawks fall to 3-4 on the season and a 0-2 mark in league play.
The last time the Hawks scored four goals in a NE10 match was on Oct. 7. 2019 in a 4-0 win over Saint Michael's. Saint Anselm hasn't recorded four goals in a match against Stonehill since Oct. 18, 2006.
The Hawks opened the scoring in the 10th minute as senior
Jake Reynolds (Weare, N.H.) sent a throw-in toward the right corner for Assantha. Assantha quickly surveyed on the end line and sent a ball to the middle of the box where senior
Zach Elliot (Manchester, N.H.) one-timed the play into the back of the goal, giving Saint Anselm a 1-0 lead.
In the 20th minute,
Iago Luiz De Sousa-Vieira collected a loose ball just inside the 18-yard box. He made a quick move to gain separation from his defender and fired a shot with his right foot intended for the bottom left of the goal. However, junior goalkeeper
Brian Underhill (Westford, Mass.) made a diving save to preserve the lead.
Saint Anselm quickly capitalized on the momentum and doubled the lead. Elliot sent a throw-in toward the box for junior
Jonathan Alves (Peabody, Mass.). The ball bounced off a defender inside the box. Alves won the battle for the loose ball and chipped a shot by the attacking
Andrew Hammersley to notch his first career goal in the 21st minute.
The Hawks nearly added their third goal of the match in the 36th minute as junior
Kevin Jordan (Danvers, Mass.) fired a low, rolling shot from about 20-yards out that forced Hammersley to dive to his right.
Stonehill forced a turnover late in the first half as
Luka Gjuraj had free space inside the 18. He fired a shot, forcing Underhill to make another diving save to his right.
Underhill made his third diving save to keep Stonehill off the scoreboard early in the second half. De Sousa-Vieira launched a bending shot from the left side of the box that forced Underhill to fully extend, diving to his left. He just managed to get a hand on the ball and deflect it away to safety.
After junior
Jackson Bukunt (Upton, Mass.) just narrowly missed his first goal of the season, the Hawks played down into the right corner. Hammersley mis-hit his clearing attempt and Assantha collected the loose ball and gave the Hawks a 3-0 lead, capping off the play into the empty goal in the 54th minute.
Assantha added his second goal of the match in the 63rd minute. Freshman
Caden Leader (Durham, N.H.) sent a ball forward for Assantha who chipped the pass by Hammersley. Leader recorded his first collegiate point on the play.
With the large lead, the Hawks easily closed out the match, 4-0.
Underhill recorded his third shutout of the season in the four-save winning effort. He improves to 4-1 overall. Hammersley falls to 2-4 after making one save on five shots on goal.
Reid Feldman made one save in just over 25 minutes of relief in the Skyhawks goal.
The Hawks remain on the road as they head to New Haven on Saturday, Sept. 25 for a 7 p.m. opening kick.
