MORRISVILLE, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's soccer team opened up the 2022 season with a 1-0 victory over host SUNY Morrisville at Drake Field on Thursday afternoon. In a game of limited offense, the Soaring Eagles out-shot the opposition 5-4 on net, with the game-winner coming from Gavin Wise '22 in the 10^th minute of play.  

Zachary Raffino '23 picked up the win in net for Elmira after stopping four Mustang shots, while Moustapha Camara '23 picked up the assist on the Wise goal. For head coach Lamine Balde, the win marked his second season-opening win in as many attempts.  

JUST THE BASICS:
SCORE: Elmira 1, SUNY Morrisville 0
LOCATION: Morrisville, N.Y. | Drake Field
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (1-0, 0-0 E8), SUNY Morrisville (0-1, 0-0 United East)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Mustangs were able to get a pair of corner kicks in the first six minutes of play, but came up empty on each attempt. In the 10th minute of play, Nicholas Zanger '22 forced Morrisville into a turnover before passing the ball up the right-side to Camara, who would take it the distance before crossing the ball into the box for Wise, who finished the play into the lower right part of the net.

The goal would go down as the game-winner for Elmira, as a scoreless 80 minutes would conclude the game. In the first half, the teams combined for seven shots before a combined 13 in the second.

Raffino would finish the game with four saves in net while recording his second career solo shutout (October 20, 2021 vs. Penn College). Pietro Gallina '26, Wise, Kerfalla Toure '26, and Horacio Vicioso '26 each recorded shots on net for Elmira in the win.

UP NEXT:
Elmira returns to action on Saturday, September 3, for their 2022 home opener at Campus Field against SUNY Brockport. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.