PITTSBURGH (Sept. 16) – Junior
David Rahaman scored with just over seven minutes left in regulation to lift the Bearcats to a 3-2 win at La Roche.
The Bearcats (3-3), who out-shot the Redhawks 20-5, jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the game's opening 15 minutes, before the Redhawks (0-4-1) battled back to tie it in the 60th minute. SVC then went back on the attack, with Rahaman netting the eventual game-winner, assisted by
Jose Hurtado, with 7:12 left to play.
Saint Vincent opened the game with an offensive barrage, taking five shots and a corner kick in the first six minutes of play. The Bearcats would find the back of the net on their seventh attempt, with
Joel Quiroz Mansilla scoring his team-leading fourth goal of the season off of an assist from
Erwin Suarez to make it 1-0.
Six minutes later, the Bearcats'
Alexander Cruz scored his second goal of the season to give SVC a 2-0 lead.
The Saint Vincent offense continued to press, out-shooting La Roche 6-2 over the next 25 minutes of action, but La Roche would score the game's next goal, cutting the score to 2-1 on Kyle Smith's goal off of a free kick with 2:15 left in the half.
Over the opening 45 minutes of play, the Bearcats held a 14-3 edge in shots, including an 11-1 advantage in shots on goal.
The Bearcats would take the first three shots and two corner kicks of the second half, but La Roche tied the game with 29:55 remaining on a goal from Anthony Valerio.
With 7:53 left, a shot from Cruz was saved, but the Bearcats retained possession. Hurtado would then find Rahaman with a pass and the junior buried his third goal of the season to give SVC the 3-2 lead. The Bearcats would then hold the Redhawks at bay over the final seven minutes to seal their second straight win.
Over the final 45 minutes, Saint Vincent limited La Roche to just two shots and did not yield a corner kick.
Mansilla led SVC with a game-high seven shots, while Rahaman was credited with four and Richa three.
Shane Piper played all 90 minutes in goal for the Bearcats and made one save to earn the win. La Roche keeper Casey Hulbert finished with 15 saves.
The Bearcats will now have a short break before returning to action on Sunday, Sept. 18, when they make the short trek down Route 30 to face crosstown rival Pitt-Greensburg at 2 p.m.
