Red Flash Men’s Soccer Team Celebrates Senior Day With Win

LORETTO, Pa. (Oct. 29, 2006) – The Saint Francis men’s soccer team will head into next weekend’s Northeast Conference Tournament with a new unbeaten streak after defeating Quinnipiac 2-0 in both teams’ regular-season finales, on Senior Day, Sunday at a very windy Stokes Soccer Complex.

The Red Flash got goals from junior Jarron Brooks (Mitchellville, Md. / Archbishop Carroll) and sophomore Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe (Greenbelt, Md. / Eleanor Roosevelt) to improve to 9-6-3 overall, and 6-1-2 in the Northeast Conference. Freshman Mike Abalos (Midland, Texas / Midland), Brooks and senior Scott Thompson (Durham, England / Lanchester Saint Bedes) also had assists in the game.

Saint Francis will finish the season with a winning record for the third straight season – the only three winning seasons in program history – under fourth-year head coach B.J. Craig. The six conference wins tie the school mark, set by the 2004 squad (6-2-1), and the 20 conference points is the most in program history.

Seniors Justin Janicek (Avon Lake, Ohio / Avon Lake), Matt Ruzic (Cleveland, Ohio / Shaker Heights), Victor Stukat Gren (Askim, Sweden / Katrinelundgymnasiet) and Thompson all started, and won their final home match of their careers.

The Red Flash have now won two straight since having a school-record nine match unbeaten streak snapped last Sunday. They are 8-1-3 over their last 12 matches, which includes seven shutouts for a 0.47 goals against average.

“This was a great win on Senior Day,” Craig said. “The team kept their focus on a day that can be emotional and the great thing was this wasn’t the last game for the seniors. Scott, Vic, Matt and Justin have been a key for us over their time here. Many times you look at the goals and assists, but these four have brought so much more in their leadership, how to do things, and will be a big key for us as we look ahead to next weekend.”

The Red Flash outshot the Bobcats 12-9 in the match, with an 8-4 edge in the second half. Saint Francis also had seven corner kicks against just two.

Janicek made his first since Sept. 6 against Bucknell and made two saves, including one spectacular save early in the game. Quinnipiac’s Anthony Patierno put a near-perfect shot into the top right corner of the net from 23 yards out 14 minutes into the game, but Janicek made a fully-extended diving save to preserve the shutout.

Brooks finally got Saint Francis on the board at 36 minutes, 40 seconds with his first goal of the season. Abalos sent a corner kick into the box that Brooks got a foot on to put past Paul Fleck for the 1-0 lead.

“We talked about working hard for the first goal and Jarron made something out of nothing,” Craig said. “We also knew we couldn’t give up a goal and Justin was solid at the back today in a very tough wind and a muddy pitch.”

Adjeman-Pamboe put the match out of reach at 2-0 with a perfectly placed shot from 20 yards out into the upper half of the net at 60:06. Brooks played a pass from the right flank to the foot of Thompson, who one-touched another pass to Adjeman-Pamboe.

“Kwame had a great strike and I am happy for him as he had to come through some injuries midseason,” Craig said. “Overall, it was a very good team performance and will set us up well going into the championship next week.”