(Yonkers, NY) – Freshman Aryeh Rosenberg (Antwerp, Belgium/Jesode Hatora) netted his third goal of the 2008 season, a dramatic tally after a spectacular passing play at 63:30 remaining in the game, sophomore Zachary Stern (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus Torah Academy) had two assists, and sophomore Mark Rocklin (Rochester, NY/Halb) made 11 saves as the Yeshiva University Men's Soccer team notched its first win of the 2008 season, a 2-1 dramatic upset of Lehman College on Thursday night at Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers, New York. With the win, YU is now 1-8 overall heading into the holiday break.
A back-and-forth opening half saw each team take 11 shots as both teams battled for the opening goal. After multiple opportunities for both teams, Yeshiva finally broke through at 41:30 when Stern intercepted a pass and went on a breakaway, ultimately finding junior Nisan Shayestehfrouz (Forest Hills, NY/Great Neck North HS) wide open in front of an empty net, and Shayestehfrouz buried his second goal of the year to give YU a 1-0 lead at halftime. The Maccabees held on for their first halftime lead of the 2008 season. Rocklin stopped all three shots he face during the first 45 minutes.
The second half was a different story as Lehman turned up the pressure, but multiple scoring opportunities were turned away by Rocklin, who made eight saves during the second stanza. Lehman finally broke through at 59 minutes as a long entry pass turned into a breakaway, and a Lightning goal. However, just over four minutes later, the Maccabees struck again as junior Joseph Itkis (Newton, MA/Maimonides) turned in a spectacular effort to win a one-on-one battle along the left sideline, found Stern, who drilled a picture-perfect pass to Rosenberg. Rosenberg ripped a shot into the lower left corner for his third goal of the year, and a 2-1 Yeshiva lead with just below 27 minutes remaining in the game.
The closing minutes of the game were a wild affair as Yeshiva's defense desperate clung to the lead, and Lehman worked just as hard to tie the score. Two late saves by Rocklin preserved the win as Yeshiva won for the first time this season, and is now 1-3 in one-goal games this season. The win was also Tony Elmore's first as Head Men's Soccer Coach at Yeshiva.
Overall, Lehman owned a 25-16 edge in shots, and Yeshiva took four corner kicks to Lehman's three.
Playing its best soccer of the season, Yeshiva heads into the holiday break with a 1-8 record, however their recent play has been nothing short of spectacular. The Maccabees return to action on Sunday, Oct. 26 when they travel to Bard for a 3:00 p.m. start.
