Frisicano and Thomas Lead Men's Soccer to victory over Utica

Joe Venniro - Assistant Sports Information Director

Mark Frisicano had two goals, giving him six for the season as RIT blanked Utica 5-0 on Saturday.

| 9/25/2004 1:11:10 PM

ROCHESTER, NY - Freshman Mark Frisicano (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) and junior Gavin Thomas (Ontario, NY/Wayne Central) (Ontario, NY/Wayne) scored two goals apiece in the second half to lead the Tigers to a 5-0 win over Utica College at RIT Field on Saturday.

The game was scoreless until Frisicano scored his third game-winning goal of the season in the 52nd minute. Midfielder Mike Lawson (Wall, NJ/Wall) carried the ball up the middle of the field and found a streaking Frisicano, who blasted a shot off the goalkeeper for his fifth goal of the year.

Thomas , a transfer from Fredonia State, scored his first goal of the season just 1:31 later, ripping a shot from about 25 yards out after receiving a pass from Lawson. The junior defender/midfielder struck again in the 58th minute, redirecting a cross from midfielder Jorge Cirulizza (McLean, VA/Gonzaga) to make the score 3-0.

RIT kept up the offensive pressure, and struck again, when Frisicano scored his second goal of the game and team-leading sixth goal of the season in the 63rd minute. The forward faked out two defenders in the penalty area and hooked a shot just into the upper right hand corner of the net.

The Tigers closed out the scoring in the 76th minute, when freshman Chuck Marion (Syracuse, NY/Westhill) (Syracuse, NY/Westhill) took a great cross from classmate Eric McCormack (Catskill, NY/Catskill) and one-timed a shot into the gaping net for his first collegiate goal.

RIT out-shot Utica 30-9. Late in the first half, senior defenseman Dan Beca (Canandaigua, NY/Candandaigua Academy) (Canadaigua, NY/Canadaigua) kept the game scoreless by sweeping a header by Utica's David Auert off the goal line.

Senior Nate Andrews (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) and junior Matt Klosner (Lowville, NY/Lowville Academy) (Lowville, NY/Lowville) combined to make four saves, while recording RIT's third shut-out of the season. Anthony DeSarro made 10 saves for the Pioneers (2-5-0, 0-2-0 Empire 8).

Lawson finished with two assists.

RIT (5-2-0, 1-0-0 Empire 8) returns to action on Wednesday, as they travel to Buffalo State College to play the Bengals at 4 p.m.