Canisius junior Mo Kretschmer scored just 1:55 into the game and sophomore Melvin Blair scored the game-winner in the 51st minute as the Golden Griffins went on the road and defeated Monmouth 2-1 Saturday night in MAAC men’s soccer action. The win, Canisius’ second straight, improved the Blue and Gold to 7-7-1 overall and 3-3-1 in MAAC play, while the Hawks slipped to 5-8-2 overall and 4-4-0 in league action.
Kretschmer, who scored his first career goal Oct. 12, put Canisius ahead 1-0 in the game’s second minute on a corner-kick set piece. Blair got the scoring play started by sending a pass into the box to teammate Mathew Santos, who then passed the ball to Kretschmer. The Munich, Germany native then beat Monmouth keeper Eric Klenofsky with a shot across the goal-mouth that banged inside the left post. Both Santos and Blair earned assists on the Griffs’ first goal, with the assist serving as Santos’ team-leading sixth of the season.
Canisius led 1-0 through halftime, but the host Hawks were able to even the game at 1-1 in the 50th minute after Daniel Figarella scored his second goal of the season. Monmouth’s lead however, was short-lived, as Blair was able to beat Klenofsky with a shot from the top of the box just 28 seconds later to put the Griffs up 2-1. Blair’s goal was his second of the season, and it also serves as his first game-winning marker of the 2016 campaign.
Redshirt-junior goalkeeper Marco Trivellato made two saves in the win for Canisius, as the Griffs outshot the Hawks by a 13-10 count. Klenofsky was credited with three saves in the losing effort for Monmouth.
Canisius returns to the road Wednesday when the team plays at Siena. Game time in Loundonville is set for 2 p.m.
from GoGriffs.com via IFTTT
