BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – A team effort on the offensive end of the field and a balanced scoring attack led the Bloomsburg University men's soccer team to a 6-2 victory over the College of Staten Island in the team's regular season opener on Saturday afternoon at Steph Pettit Stadium in Bloomsburg.
Six different players scored for the Huskies (1-0) as the team received goals from
Kody Besser (Lacey Township, N.J./Lacey Township),
Anthony Schlee (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley),
Olly Whitham (Clitheroe, Lancashire, England/Settle College),
Sammy Ames (Holly Ridge, N.C./Dixon),
Collis Heleine (Cambridge, England/Hills Road Sixth Form College) and
Keefer Calkins (Bath, N.Y./Haverling) to down the Dolphins (0-1).
Besser scored the team's first goal of the 2022 season 18 minutes into the game by chipping in a shot attempt by fellow teammate
Shay Gillen (Archbald, Pa./Valley View), who sent the ball towards the goal on a header attempt during a corner kick that was delivered into the box by Whitham. Less than two minutes later and on the team's ensuing possession,
Anthony Schlee (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) extended Bloomsburg's lead to 2-0 by scoring during a one-on-one situation with Staten Island's goalkeeper. Schlee's shot was set up perfectly by
Parker Nickelsen (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North), who led Schlee into the open field with a through ball.
The Dolphins, however, were able to cut the lead in half 10 minutes later when Steven Adebisi netted a goal to bring the score to 2-1, which is where it stayed until halftime.
In the second half, Bloomsburg scored the next two goals of the contest to extend its lead to three. The team's first goal was scored by Whitham, who sent the ball to the back of the net on a penalty kick, then Ames rebounded a shot in the box and kicked in the team's fourth goal.
Staten Island did answer with just over 11 minutes remaining in the contest to bring the game back within two scores at 4-2, but Bloomsburg responded with two more goals of its own to give the Huskies a four-goal victory. Heleine received a through ball in the open field and scored in another one-on-one situation with the Dolphins' goalkeeper, and Calkins scored the team's final goal with under two minutes remaining by chipping it past the goalie after he came out of the net to defend a long through ball.
The Huskies finished the game with a total of 13 shots on goal and 18 total shot attempts, compared to Staten Island's eight shots on goal and 14 shot attempts. Bloomsburg goalkeeper
Brady Rimple (Cherryville, Pa./Northampton Area) racked up six saves that proved to be critical in keeping the Huskies ahead throughout the contest.
Bloomsburg will look to pick up another win on Wednesday, which is when the team hosts Goldey-Beacom for another home non-conference game at Steph Pettit Stadium. The game will kick off at 6:00 PM.
