Dominican Soccer Triumphs In Conference Match

Sophomore Pedro Franklin De Araujo easily might have had a three-goal hat-trick performance Saturday afternoon. But one goal was sufficient as the defensive-minded Dominican College men's soccer team held off visiting Wilmington University 1-0 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference contest.

De Araujo shrugged off the loss of one shot that caromed directly off the left post and another goal that was nullified by an offsides call.

"I had the chances, but that's football—the detail," De Araujo said. He had scored on a masterful header about nine minutes into the first half, giving the Chargers and their impenetrable goalie Brandon Heembrock all the offensive support they were to need.

Dominican, which has five regular-season games left including three in the conference,  raised its record to 8-3-1 overall and an equally if not more impressive 5-2-1 mark in the CACC.

"We think we can win the conference and [also] go to nationals, that would be nice," Cleiton Coppola, a freshman defender from Brazil, offered.

Head coach John Campbell pointed out that winning the conference does not mean an automatic berth at nationals, but was indeed pleased to note that Dominican has turned it on of late.

"The last five [games] we are playing like we expect and the results are coming—it's a good turnaround," Campbell said. He cited the team's defensive effort, "especially getting to second balls."

Coppola, hustling throughout against the Wildcats, did not escape the coach's attention.

"He was battling against bigger guys and winning balls in the air," Campbell said.

For his part, Coppola said he's merely doing his job.

"I got to do that [hustle] all the time," he said.

Coppola and De Araujo both indicated that protecting a one-goal lead for most of the first half, and then the entire second half, forced everyone to maintain their focus.

"With a one-goal lead, there is no room for a mistake," Coppola said. "We definitely have a good team, we have good communication. We always communicate with each other."

Heembrock, active in the net, stopped six shots including a couple of nifty stops in the second half as Dominican dropped Wilmington's record to 4-6-1.

Women's team upended

The Dominican women's soccer team bowed to Wilmington 2-0, falling to .500 at 4-4 in the conference (7-4 all told).

Sophomores Jodi Curtis and Jade Fletcher, from New Zealand and Ottawa, respectively, said several of the Lady Chargers' losses can be traced to momentary lapses.

"Today (Saturday) was a good example," Curtis, a midfielder, said. "We just had some mishaps but we're a good team on the whole."

Fletcher, a left back, echoed her teammate's thoughts. "We hold teams down … but shut down a second and teams take advantage," she said.

Wilmington was held scoreless in the first half, but broke through on the type of play just spoken about. "We shut down, didn't make a mark," head coach Lona Ozrek said. "They scored, we had chances to tie, but never put it away. The second goal came very late in the half when we had two defenders back. We had everyone up going for the (tying) goal."

Ozrek said Kari Spicer, a freshman from Colorado, did a good job in goal. "She did what she was supposed to … made some saves here and there."

Goal kicks

• Adrian Ruiz of Jersey City, N.J., is the assistant women's coach.
• Noticeable on the Dominican sideline once again, with Alex, a boxer, on leash, was Nancy Gonzalez. The mother of freshman midfielder JJ Gonzalez says she makes every home game, "dog and all." The dog's proper name, by the way, is Alexis. "But everyone calls her Alex," Nancy said. Asked for an explanation, Alex barked, "no comment."
• Simon and Pauline Flaherty, the parents of injured senior James Flaherty (bad hamstring), easily win the "Fans-who-came-the-furthest-to-root" award. "We're on holiday from London," Mr. Flaherty said. "We came to see James but he's been injured." Not to be undone, Simon and Pauline also win the "Make-the-most-of-any-situation" award by spending time in Atlantic City and Saranac Lake. The husband-wife team also visited Ground Zero and promised that their son "would be back" in action.
• The Dominican men continue their conference march on Thursday with an away game at Post University, and return home on Oct. 20 for a Senior Day contest against non-conference foe Le Moyne at 3:30 p.m.