ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's soccer team put on a show for the home crowd as they defeated visiting Hilbert College 8-0 on Saturday afternoon at Campus Field.
Gavin Wise '22 was sensational as he posted his first career hat trick while
David Rojas '23 added in two goals for the Soaring Eagles. It was a dominant performance by the Purple and Gold as they compiled 19 total shots on goal while conceding zero to their opponents. With the win, Elmira was able to start off a season 2-0 for the first time since 2013.
JUST THE BASICS:
SCORE: Elmira 8, Hilbert 0
LOCATION: Elmira, N.Y.
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (2-0, 0-0 E8), Hilbert (0-3, 0-0 AMCC)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Moustapha Camara '22 opened the scoring quickly when he got on Elmira on the board in the 4
th minute of play off an assist from
Anthony Esce Jr. '22. Camara received Esce's pass in the middle of the penalty area, pulled the ball away from the defender, and directed it into the back-left corner of the net with his right foot.
Camara was instrumental in setting up the next goal for the Soaring Eagles when he was taken out in the box by Hilbert's goalkeeper Logan Peck. Wise would take the penalty kick for Elmira and bury it in the back of the net to make it 2-0.
After the two quick goals, the Purple & Gold couldn't manage to break through again in the half. Although, it wouldn't take long in the 2
nd half though for Wise to get another. Seven minutes in,
Lutho Mlunguza '23 received a throw-in just past midfield and attacked up the left side of the pitch and slotted a beautiful pass onto the foot of Wise in the penalty area. Wise used one dribble to move the keeper to the left and popped the ball back over into the right side of the goal for his second of the day.
In the 60
th minute, Wise completed the hat trick with an assist from Camara to make it 4-0. Wise while receiving the pass, spun to his left, pulling the ball with him around the defender, and blasted it past the ke
per.
In the 69
th minute, Aiden Burns '22 made it 5-0 Elmira, scoring his first collegiate goal. With 10 minutes to play, the Soaring Eagles would put in back-to-back goals just eight seconds apart. The first came when
Henry Wylie '23 poked in his first career goal after a mishandle by the goalie on a free kick shot attempt. On the ensuing kick-off, Rojas would get the other goal off a quick Hilbert turnover. Rojas's second score came in the 88
th minute when
Dresden Bell '25 headed a ball towards the penalty area, where Rojas was able to chip it to himself over the charging keeper and head it into goal. It was Bell's first collegiate assist.
UP NEXT:
Elmira returns to action on Wednesday, September 8, when they travel to Keystone College. Kick-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
