WINTER PARK, Fla. (August 24, 2006) ' The
Rollins men's soccer team kicked off the 2006 season in dramatic
fashion by defeating non-conference opponent Clayton State 2-1 for
a come-from-behind double overtime victory Thursday night at Barker
Family Stadium.
The Tars, ranked 25th in NCAA Division II preseason polls,
jumped out to a 1-0 record.' The win figures to help them in the
rankings because Clayton State (0-1) started the season ranked 8th
in the nation.
Chris Cerroni, tied for eighth in school history with 30 career
goals, now stands in eighth place by himself with 32 and one behind
current Head Coach Keith Buckley after scoring both goals for the
Tars in tonight's contest.' His first goal came in the 88th minute
with Rollins down by one, and it kept the team's hopes for a win
alive.' The goal came off of a rebound of a Juan Kusnir shot that
slammed into the top post.' Cerroni was there to collect the ball
and put it into the net before Lakers goalkeeper Heath Padgett
could regain composure.' The game-winner came in the 102nd minute,
two minutes into the second overtime, when the Tars were fortunate
with a call inside the penalty box.' Cerroni was elected to take
the penalty kick, and he buried it into the corner easily for the
win.
Clayton State's goal came in the 83rd minute on an elaborate
free kick.' The Tars were called on a foul just outside their own
penalty area, and the Lakers took their time setting up their
play.' Clayton State lined up several of their own players in front
of the Rollins wall, and they all split different ways before the
kicker sent it into the mix.' Angel Kalinov deflected the ball to
Kevin Crooks, who scored the go-ahead goal.
Although Rollins doubled their opponents' shot total (20-10),
the game was more even than that.' Both teams played a physical
game, shown by the 48 total fouls and six yellow cards.' The Lakers
tried to use their size to gain an advantage, but the skill and
tactics of the Tars ended up being the deciding factor.
The men's soccer team will continue non-conference play tomorrow
as they host Briar Cliff at 7:30 p.m. in the second game of a
doubleheader.' The women's team will also play host to Briar Cliff
in their season opener, and that game will kick off at 5:00
p.m.
