Gombami, Fleming Score In First Red Flash Win of Season

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (Sept. 21, 2008) – The Saint Francis men’s soccer team has struggled in the early season against one of the toughest schedules in school history. After three straight excruciating 1-0 defeats, the Red Flash broke through with a 2-1 victory at Bowling Green on Sunday to wrap up play at the Falcon Invitational.

Sophomore transfer Owen Gombami (Pumula North Bulawayo, Zimbabwe / Mzilikazi) scored his first career goal, and sophomore Patrick Fleming (Dunedin, New Zealand / Bayfield) made it 2-0, while senior goalkeeper Brad Williams (San Lorenzo, Calif. / Arroyo) stopped 10 shots to help the two goals stand up.

Sophomore Brent Brockman (Dillsburg, Pa. / Northern York), Gombami and Williams were all named to the Falcon Invitational All-Tournament Team.

Saint Francis earned its first victory of the season to improve to 1-5-1 on the year. SFU will play host to Bucknell in its home opener at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, at the Stokes Soccer Complex.

Gombami tallied his first career goal at the Division I level at 30 minutes, 50 seconds to put the Red Flash up 1-0. Brockman received an assist on the play.

Just minutes into the second half, Fleming netted his second goal of the season at 47:49.

But the Falcons wouldn’t make it easy on SFU as Jacob Lawrence put his fourth goal of the 2008 campaign past Williams at 66:03. BGSU goalkeeper Paul Shoemaker, who made 5 saves, received an assist on Lawrence’s goal.

The Saint Francis defense buckled down and didn’t allow another goal over the final 34 minutes.

Bowling Green held a 19-12 advantage in shots for the match, but had the slimmest of margins (8-7) in the second half. The Falcons also held a 10-2 edge in corner kicks.