TROY, N.Y. – Junior Josh Gaudiano ignited a six-goal outburst by the No. 7/11 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's soccer team in defeating Manhattanville College, 6-1, on Sunday afternoon at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Engineers improve to 2-1-1 overall, while the Valiants drop to 0-2-1.

Gaudiano (Manhattan Beach, CA / Mira Costa) tallied twice in a span of two minute to give the hosts an early 2-0 lead. First, he took down a long ball from fifth-year centerback Trevor Bisson (Baton Rouge, LA / Episcopal), created some space off the dribble and curled a hard shot into the right side of the net.

In the 15th minute, Gaudiano struck again, this time combining with sophomore Reggie Durden (Clifton Park, NY / Shenendehowa) to get behind the Manhattanville back line.  Gaudiano fired a low shot that caught a piece of Valiants senior keeper Matthew Rodriguez (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA / Palos Verdes), but snuck over the line for his fourth goal in the last two days.

Junior midfielder Ben Kogan (Clifton Park, NY / Shenendehowa) opened his 2021 scoring account in the 23rd minute, polishing a slick passing move by the Engineers. Durden sent a ball senior Paul Silva (Wayne, NJ / Seton Hall Prep.), who delivered a perfectly placed through ball to Kogan, who finished into the left side of the net, first time, for a 3-0 advantage.

The Engineers then scored on three set pieces in the second half, beginning with a flick-on header tally from Bisson. Classmate Joe Di Miceli (Oceanside, NY / Oceanside) sent a ball towards the middle of the box that Bisson nodded home, while facing away goal, in the 63rd minute.

Fifth-year striker Tomasso Valagussa (Arlington, MA / Arlington) made it a 5-0 game in the 69th minute, ripping a free kick past the Manhattanville wall and into the right side-netting for his first of the year.

RPI junior Chris Heffernan (Wyckoff, NJ / Ramapo) then recorded his first collegiate goal on another well worked free kick. Classmate Gabe Terando (Hopedale, MA / Hopedale) sent in a left-footed cross from the right that Heffernan volleyed past Rodriguez in the 82nd minute.

Manhattanville senior Kendall Davis (Atlanta, GA / Immaculata) got the visitors on the board in the 90th minute, finishing a cross from the left by junior Clark Brown (Nashville, TN / Hume-Fogg) for his first tally of the year.

Senior goalkeeper Luke Brezak (Camano Island, WA / The Overlake School) made two saves over the opening 45 minutes, before freshman Colin Such (Manassas, VA / Charles C. Coglan) notched two of his own in the second half. Rodriguez finished with four stops at the other end of the field.

RPI extends its unbeaten streak at East Campus Stadium to 19 games (17-0-2) dating back to 2018. The 11 goals scored on the weekend are the most in a two-game stretch since the 2009 team opened with season with 4-0 and 8-0 victories. The weekend also provided the first instance of the men's soccer program scoring five or more goals in back-to-back games since 1970.

The Engineers are back in action on Friday, when they visit Keene State (6pm). Manhattanville hosts second-ranked Amherst on Wednesday (7pm).