M-SOCCER ROUNDUP: York improves to 4-0
September 12 – York @ McMaster
Adrian Pena netted two goals on Wednesday in Hamilton, Ont., as the York University Lions won the battle of the nationally-ranked teams with a 3-1 victory over the McMaster Marauders.
The Lions, ranked No. 7 in the most recent CIS poll, knocked off the defending OUA champion Marauders, who are currently ranked No. 4. With the win, the Lions also avenged a 2-0 loss to McMaster from last year that was their only defeat of the regular season, and they are now alone in first place in the OUA West standings with a perfect 4-0-0 record.
Pena's two goals brought him to four on the year and he is currently ranked third in OUA scoring.
The Woodbridge, Ont., native opened the scoring early in the game, setting the team's offensive pace with a goal only 10 minutes into the match.
The Lions added another goal later in the half off of a solitary charge by rookie Joseph Cicchillo of North York, Ont., who netted his second of the year in the 39th minute to give the Lions a 2-0 lead at the half.
Goalkeeper Sotiri Varlokostas's season-long shutout streak was finally broken early in the second half when Marauder Ryan Garnett of Kitchener, Ont., beat Varlokostas on a free kick in the 47th minute to score the first goal against the Lions this year.
The Lions regained their two-goal advantage in the 70th minute when Pena marked his second of the night, putting the Lions ahead 3-1 with a penalty kick as a result of a handball in the box.
The Lions' next game is Saturday (Sept. 15) against the Brock Badgers in St. Catharines, Ont., at 3:15pm. They will return home the following day to face the Guelph Gryphons at 1pm at York Stadium.
Source: York Sports Info