Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Manhattanville College scored two goals in the first half and held off Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in the second half in a non-league men’s soccer game at Harkness Field. With the victory the Valiants improve to 2-0-0. The Red Hawks drop to 2-1-0.

Manhattanville got its first goal when freshman Andres Avila (Port Chester, NY) volleyed a Victor Feliciano (Cornwall, NY) pass into the top right corner at 33:45. The Valiants saw their lead double less than ten minutes later when a Rensselaer defender inadvertently scored into his own net when trying a back pass to the goalkeeper. That goal came at the 41:39 mark.

RPI applied offensive pressure throughout the second half, including five straight corner kicks midway through and two cross bars, but could not find the back of the net.

Senior Francesco Notaristefano (Somers, NY) made four stops for the victorious Valiants while junior John Thibdeau (Altamont, NY/Bethlehem) registered one save in defeat.

Rensselaer is back in action with two games in the Union College Classic this weekend. The Red Hawks face SUNY New Paltz on Saturday at 2:30pm and Potsdam St. on Sunday at 2:30pm. Manhattanville plays again on Saturday and Sunday in the Kean Invitational.