Four unanswered goals culminated in the Stony Brook men’s soccer team’s first Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) defeat of the year.
In their first home conference match of 2024, the Seawolves (1-3-2, 0-1-1 CAA) hosted the flawless Charleston Cougars (6-0, 1-0 CAA) at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium on Saturday. Following a dominant opening 23 minutes, Stony Brook collapsed in a 4-2 loss.
The Seawolves’ start was not an indicator of things to come. Early on, they ran at the Cougars’ backline with ease while generating several scoring chances.
In the 15th minute, midfielder Alex Fléury threaded a pass to midfielder Lorenzo Selini — beating four opposing players in the process — who had ample room to advance just past the halfway line. Instead of moving forward on his own, Selini opted to switch the play with his first touch and found forward Caleb Danquah on the left flank. In a one-on-one duel against Charleston defender Tom Wilson, Danquah took two touches to his left and quickly pulled the trigger on a cross-goal shot that found the back of the net.
After Danquah’s strike, Stony Brook remained on the front foot. In the 18th and 21st minutes, forward Finlay Oliver and Danquah, respectively, hit the crossbar on further attempts.
“I thought we started off the match well,” head coach Ryan Anatol said in a postgame interview with The Statesman. “We were on top, it was clear and I think we got a well-deserved goal. We also [have] to finish our chances. It could have easily been two, three [to] zero. Then it’s a completely different game.”
However, the Seawolves’ inability to extend their lead would ultimately prove costly. In the 24th minute, the Cougars equalized while Stony Brook was momentarily down to 10 men, as Danquah was on the sidelines being treated for an injury. Charleston seized the opportunity, exploiting a recurring vulnerability for the Seawolves all afternoon: their struggles in aerial duels. A cross from midfielder Ezra White was met by the head of forward Matt Lenert, who tied things at one apiece.
Saturday’s second half was Stony Brook’s worst 45 minutes of the young season. In the 53rd minute, Charleston defender Noah Gold headed the ball in following a designed play off a corner kick to give his team the advantage. In the 63rd minute, Charleston midfielder Leonardo D’Ambrosio extended the lead by beating goalkeeper Rushon Sandy in a one-on-one duel.
The Cougars’ main man would strike again in the 71st minute — this time off a header — to put the game to bed. D’Ambrosio’s brace marked his fifth and sixth goals of the year.
“We [have] to be stronger defensively,” Anatol said. “Less chances, a bit tougher in the air. We’re pushing, we’re not trying to hold on to a point. To be able to do that, we [have] to be better defensively.”
In the 88th minute, midfielder Trevor Harrison provided a glimmer of consolation for the Seawolves with a goal to make it 4-2.
Despite the final score, Stony Brook outshot Charleston 19 (nine shots on goal) to 13 (six shots on goal).
Sandy had his worst outing as a Seawolf, as he conceded a season-high four goals while only making a pair of saves. His counterpart — Charleston goalkeeper Olly Marshall — made seven stops.
Outside of Selini and Fléury, Oliver and midfielder Justin Jean-Louis registered assists for Stony Brook.
The Seawolves will look to bounce back on Saturday when they face the Elon Phoenix in North Carolina. The Phoenix are 6-0 overall and 2-0 in CAA play. They will take on Wake Forest on Tuesday before hosting Stony Brook. Opening kickoff for the weekend affair is scheduled for noon.
Anthony DiCocco and Kevin Yu also contributed reporting.
