Syracuse University
West Virginia
10/5/2002 10:38:54 PM | Men's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Sophomore Jarett Park (Tully, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) scored the game-winning goal in the eighth minute of overtime to give the Syracuse men's soccer team a 2-1 victory at West Virginia on Saturday, October 5. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Orangemen, who improve to 6-5 overall and 2-3 in the BIG EAST. West Virginia is now 3-7-1 overall and 0-4-1 in conference play.
Park also had a hand in the Orangemen's first goal of the night in the third minute of play. He played a ball from the midfield to freshman Ilias Calaitzidis (Brossard, Quebec/Champlain Regional) who put home his third goal of the year from the right side of the box. It was the second straight game with a goal for Calaitzidis who leads all SU freshman with seven points. Junior midfielder Ari Schneider (East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick) also was credited with an assist on the play.
With the Orangemen ahead 1-0, Syracuse goalkeeper Alim Karim (Scarborough, Ontario/West Hill Collegiate) received a red card and was ejected from the game for taking out a West Virginia player going for a ball at the top of the box. The Orangemen were forced to play a man down from the 39:15 mark on. Sophomore David Rabazzi (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) replaced Karim in goal and went the rest of the way.
West Virginia took advantage of the extra man, tying the score in the 73rd minute. Matt Mahar scored his first goal of the season, an unassisted tally from 40 yards away that found the top right corner of the goal.
Park provided the heroics in overtime, scoring the goal off a cross from senior forward Guido Cristofori (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport). It was Park's team-leading fifth goal of the season, matching his output from the 2001 season. He leads the team with 14 points. Cristofori has now scored or assisted on four game-winning goals this season.
Rabazzi earned his first victory of the season, making six saves in nearly 59 minutes of work. It was his first action of the season. Karim made two saves in just more than 39 minutes of action. Chris McKinney allowed two goals and didn't make a save in the loss.
The Orangemen step out of conference for a New York Region game at Army on Tuesday, October 8. SU then returns home to start a three-game homestand versus ranked opponents versus Rutgers on Saturday, October 12.
