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Night and day.
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That was the difference between the two halves for the Stony Brook men’s soccer team, as they hosted Hofstra Tuesday night, falling to their Long Island rivals, 1-0.
Despite a furious late rally that saw the home team outshoot Hofstra 11-1 in the second period, the Seawolves were unable to recover from a goal scored before the clock operators had even figured out how to use the scoreboard.
A Hofstra free kick from senior Rob Youhill was slid just inside the post,off the head of freshman midfielder Stephan Barea putting the visitors ahead for good in just the first minute of play.
The rest of the half was all Pride, as a shellshocked Seawolves team managed little more than feeble counter-attacks.
Hostra nearly doubled their lead with little time left in the first period. Making his first start as Stony Brook’s number 1, goalkeeper Anthony Rogic stonewalled an acrobatic attempt from Hofstra’s Brett Carrington, keeping the score 1-0 at half.
Coming out of the break, it was Hofstra that had the first opportunity, as an effort from the Pride’s Rory McCrea was brilliantly caught by Rogic, diving to his right.
That was the last sniff of goal for the blue and gold.
Attacking the South end of Lavalle Stadium, the Seawolves played with new fire, led by freshman Kyle Schlesinger taking over the midfield.
In the 53rd minute, the Seawolves had their best chance of the game as a cross from Berian Gobeil fell kindly for Antonio Crespi, whose shot from point-blank range was parried by the Hofstra goalkeeper into an inviting position. The rebound attempt was cleared off the line.
Though the ball didn’t find the net, the chance changed the game, drawing the crowd of a little over 600 into the action, and sparking the Seawolves attack.
Just a couple minutes later a sublime flick-on header from Gobeil left Crespi one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but a rushed finish rolled wide.
Stony Brook had yet another chance in the 58th minute, as a free kick from Kyle Schlesinger curled to the head of Damion Brown, but Brown’s effort glanced harmlessly off the side-netting.
The second half chances were an encouraging sign for a young Seawolves team, as they head on the road for three straight, before returning to Lavalle Stadium on Sept. 13.
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