Men's Soccer Downs Nazareth, Clinches Second Place in Empire 8

Steve Jaynes - SID

Geoff Schmidt had two goals in a 4-2 win over Nazareth

| 10/26/2005 4:58:15 PM

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ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT (8-6-2, 5-1-0 E8) men’s soccer team clinched second place in the Empire 8 regular season standings with a 4-2 win over Nazareth College (6-8-3, 3-3-0 E8) on Wednesday afternoon. Junior Geoff Schmidt (Wooster, OH/Wooster) scored two goals for the Tigers, who clinch a home game in the upcoming Empire 8 Tournament.

With just over 10 minutes to play in the first half RIT’s Jorge Ciurlizza (McLean, VA/Gonzaga) (McLean, VA) had a good look at goal. Nazareth defender Mike Deichmiller (Ontario, NY) misplayed a ball just outside the Golden Flyer’s penalty area. Ciurlizza took advantage of the misplayed ball and hit a low shot that Alex Kilroy (Spencerport, NY) barely got a hand on to keep it out of the net.

RIT broke through with just over two minutes to play in the first half. Mike Lawson (Wall, NJ/Wall) (Wall, NJ) made a fabulous run down the right side. He pulled up and sent a long service over to Geoff Schmidt (Wooster, OH/Wooster) (Wooster, OH), who was making a run down the left side. Schmidt one-timed a shot past Kilroy, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead. It was Schmidt’s first goal at RIT.

RIT’s Chuck Marion (Syracuse, NY/Westhill) (Syracuse, NY) had a solid chance early in the second half. Kyle Dawson (Essex Junction, VT/Essex) (Essex Junction, VT) sent a ball into the penalty area. Marion had a good look at goal but his shot missed wide.

RIT made it 2-0 on Geoff Schmidt (Wooster, OH/Wooster)’s second goal of the game. Mark Frisicano (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) (Rochester, NY) crossed a ball into the box that Schmidt, utilizing his height, headed into the goal over Kilroy.

Mike Lawson (Wall, NJ/Wall) made it 3-0 RIT on an assist from Dennis Smyth (Potsdam, NY/Potsdam) (Watertown, NY). Smyth and Lawson worked a give-and-go play to perfection. Lawson fed Smyth who gave it right back to Lawson who chipped it over Kilroy for his fourth goal of the season.

Nazareth cut RIT’s lead to 3-1 with a little over seven minutes to play in regulation. Matt Elliott (Webster, NY) sent a corner kick in that Scott Rigney (Nunda, NY) headed into the net, over RIT keeper, Chris Rouland (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh) (Center Valley, PA).

The Golden Flyers made it a one-goal game with 3:01 to play. Scott Rigney tapped in a loose ball past Rouland, making it 3-2, RIT

Chuck Marion (Syracuse, NY/Westhill) gave RIT their two-goal lead back with 1:55 to play. Andrew Ong (Phuket, Thailand/SKL) (Phuket, Thailand) fed Marion who deked his way into the Nazareth penalty area and beat Kilroy for his third goal of the season.

RIT, the #2 seed, will host #3 St. John Fisher College in a semifinal game on Tuesday, November 1 at 1 p.m. on RIT Field.