2008 Woodie Awards
Eagles snag two victories over weekend
Issue date: 8/30/06 Section: Sports
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The Winthrop men's soccer team kicked off their season with a bang with two victories in the first weekend of play.
Winthrop 5, North Florida 1
Friday Aug. 25
Freshman midfielder Matthew Skonicki began his collegiate career with a bang on Friday as he recorded a hat trick to lead Winthrop to a 5-1 victory over North Florida in the first game of the JAKO Classic hosted by Gardner-Webb.
Junior forward Saidi Isaac, the 2006 Preseason Player of the Year in the Big South Conference, was serving a red card suspension carried over from last season which gave Skonicki the opportunity to start the match.
Skonicki scored three consecutive goals on his way to the hat trick. The first came in the 31st minute as sophomore forward Daniel Revivo's pass put Skonicki one-on-one with the goalie and he slipped it by, giving Winthrop a 2-0 lead before halftime.
In the 59th minute, Skonicki put the Eagles up 3-0 as he fired home a shot from 18-yards out that hit off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net.
The hat trick was completed in the 62nd minute as Skonicki slipped behind the Ospreys defense. Senior midfielder Dave Carton's pass connected with Skonicki and he beat the goalie to the near post for the goal.
"It was fun to see a freshman start his career with a hat trick," head coach Rich Posipanko said. "Skonicki had a dream day and a memory for life."
Winthrop opened the scoring in the 27th minute as sophomore midfielder Otto Loewy headed home a cross from freshman midfielder Stephen Nsereko. In the 79th minute, Nsereko scored his first collegiate goal as he took a service from senior midfielder David Kenga and placed the ball into the net to put the Eagles up 5-0.
Just a minute later the Eagles bid for a shutout was lost as Mats Elmsater was left wide open in the middle of the field and he blasted a one-time shot from 30 yards off the left post and into the net.
"I feel good about the progress we have made from our first two exhibition games," Posipanko said. "We are almost at the point where I expected to be. Our final ball today was much better, but we still need to improve in this area. I was very pleased with our intensity level and work rate."
Winthrop 5, North Florida 1
Friday Aug. 25
Freshman midfielder Matthew Skonicki began his collegiate career with a bang on Friday as he recorded a hat trick to lead Winthrop to a 5-1 victory over North Florida in the first game of the JAKO Classic hosted by Gardner-Webb.
Junior forward Saidi Isaac, the 2006 Preseason Player of the Year in the Big South Conference, was serving a red card suspension carried over from last season which gave Skonicki the opportunity to start the match.
Skonicki scored three consecutive goals on his way to the hat trick. The first came in the 31st minute as sophomore forward Daniel Revivo's pass put Skonicki one-on-one with the goalie and he slipped it by, giving Winthrop a 2-0 lead before halftime.
In the 59th minute, Skonicki put the Eagles up 3-0 as he fired home a shot from 18-yards out that hit off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net.
The hat trick was completed in the 62nd minute as Skonicki slipped behind the Ospreys defense. Senior midfielder Dave Carton's pass connected with Skonicki and he beat the goalie to the near post for the goal.
"It was fun to see a freshman start his career with a hat trick," head coach Rich Posipanko said. "Skonicki had a dream day and a memory for life."
Winthrop opened the scoring in the 27th minute as sophomore midfielder Otto Loewy headed home a cross from freshman midfielder Stephen Nsereko. In the 79th minute, Nsereko scored his first collegiate goal as he took a service from senior midfielder David Kenga and placed the ball into the net to put the Eagles up 5-0.
Just a minute later the Eagles bid for a shutout was lost as Mats Elmsater was left wide open in the middle of the field and he blasted a one-time shot from 30 yards off the left post and into the net.
"I feel good about the progress we have made from our first two exhibition games," Posipanko said. "We are almost at the point where I expected to be. Our final ball today was much better, but we still need to improve in this area. I was very pleased with our intensity level and work rate."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Matthew Jordan
posted 9/06/06 @ 1:42 AM EST
Great story. I hope the team does well in future contests.
Peace
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