The Lehman College soccer team will enter the 2009 CUNYAC tournament with a blaze of confidence after the team won six out of its final eight contests after beginning the season by dropping its first nine games. The Lightning will enter the tournament as the No. 5 seed after finishing 6-11 overall and 5-4 in CUNYAC play, and Lehman will battle the No. 4 seeded Cougars of Medgar Evers College who finished 7-9-2 Overall in the regular season, including a 5-3-1 mark in conference play. The Lightning and Cougars will meet Wednesday afternoon at the Aviator in Brooklyn, NY, with start time scheduled for 5:15pm.
The Lightning finished their regular season with a 2-1 victory over the Cougars back on October 21st under the lights at Lehman’s South Field. The Lightning will hope history will repeat itself, but there’s no question that the Cougars can score goals. Medgar Evers has netted 34 goals this season in 18 games, and that total is good for second-best in the conference. On the flip side, the Lightning has had one of the better defensive units in CUNY over the past eight games, allowing just eight goals in that span. Head Coach Joe Andre’ believes it’ll be a battle tomorrow evening.
“Medgar Evers is a team that can put the ball in the net, but we’re a team that prides ourselves on gritty defensive play, so anytime you have two squads like that going head to head, it always makes for an interesting storyline. Our guys are pretty confident going in. They have to play their game and be patient. It should be fun.”
Offensively, the Lightning have been led by veteran Daniel Brentuo who has scored five goals (including two game-winners) and has posted three assists. Olavo De Paula is also a scoring threat as he has tallied a team-high six goals. Amirouche Ait-Hamouda and Geovanny Arredonde have scored four goals apiece, as well. Defensively for Lehman, goalkeeper Michael Hintze, who started the season as a defensive specialist, has been stellar in net for the Lightning, allowing just three goals in six games, stopping 34 shots and posting four shutouts.
Many associated with the team wouldn’t dare mention the word “playoffs” when the Lightning were 0-9, but six victories in their final eight contests, including triumphs over York College, Hunter College, and Medgar Evers College, have made it clear that Lehman is a contender for this year’s championship. The Lightning will hope to take the first step towards solidifying a title tomorrow by defeating the Cougars.