Lakers Erupt for Record 15 Goals Against North Country
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. - In an instant classic, the FLCC men's soccer team made history Saturday afternoon, netting 15 goals against the North Country Community College Saints in front of a home crowd. The Lakers would run away with the win against their NJCAA Region III opponent in a 15-0 rout which saw 11 different Lakers find the back of the net. The team breaks the record of 12 goals scored in a game in which the Lakers achieved first on September 21st, 1996 against the Tompkins Cortland Community College Panthers and second on October 4th, 2017 against Niagara County Community College. It was a phenomenal performance and display for the team which is finding their form late in the season. The win marked the team's second-straight victory, improving their record to 3-6 this season.
Demonstrating an aggressive offensive approach, the Lakers had 38 shots on the day. However, the Lakers' offensive prowess was on full display with freshman Daniel Medina (Mexico City, Mexcio/ Tec Monterrey Santa Fe) leading the charge and emerging as the star of the match, recording a hat-trick. Medina's contributions continued beyond that, showcasing his playmaking skills by adding 2 assists to his tally. Teammate Vojtech Bartosek (Prague, Czech Republic/ Anglicko-Ceske Gymnazium Amazon) put on an equally remarkable display, netting the ball 3 times and assisting on another goal. The duo's combined efforts spearheaded the team's attack against the Saints defense.
The game saw contributions from various players, each adding to the tally. Joao Pedro Melo de Oliveria (Sergipe, Brazil/ Centro de Excelencia Master), Riley Green (London, England/ Ben Herd Pro Performance Academy), Marius Dalidet (Oullins, France/ Saint-Thomas D'Aquin-Veritas), Thomas Caine (Ontario, N.Y./ Wayne), Andre Budrich (Saxony, Germany/ Oberland-Gymnasium Seifhennersdorf), Joao Antonio Rocha (Sergipe, Brazil/ Colegio Master), Edwin Cruz (Toluca, Mexcio/ Instituto Mexcio de Toluca), Sergio Baron (Bogota, Colombia/ Liceo Matovelle) and Bernardo Vasconcelos (Sergipe, Brazil/ Centro de excelencia Master) each found the back of the net once, showcasing the team's versatility on offense.
The playmakers weren't left behind in this matchup as freshman Johnny Niles (Williamson, N.Y./ Williamson) was instrumental in the Lakers' attack with 2 assists. Teammates Edwin Cruz, Bernardo Vasconcelos, and Joao Antonio Rocha each contributed with an assist to add to their impressive stat line for the day, while Marius Dalidet earned a hat-trick with assists with 3 in the match. The Lakers' offensive onslaught helped the defense maintain its shape in the match, earning a clean sheet for the day with goalkeeper Diego Reyna (Guatamela/ Bilingue Vista Hermosa) making 2 saves to ensure a shutout performance.
The Lakers are hitting stride at the right time as they cross the halfway point of the regular season with 7 games remaining on the schedule. The team's next test is against the Bobcats of Bryant & Stratton - Buffalo this Tuesday, October 3rd at the FLCC Multi-use Turf Facility at 6:30 PM.