Aug. 30, 2002
CLEVELAND - Cleveland State (1-0-0) used solid defense and a strong attack en route to defeating Niagara (0-1-0), 2-0, Friday night in the season-opener in front of 453 fans at Krenzler Field. The new-look Vikings fielded only four starters from last year's squad, while all 12 newcomers received playing time.
"It was satisfying from a result point of view, but we have the potential to play much better than tonight," noted CSU Head Coach Pete Curtis. "The cohesiveness will come the more games we get under our belt."
The contest was scoreless for 40 minutes until senior Matt Milcetich (Kent, Ohio/Kent Roosevelt) sent a cross that Jim Sears Jr. (Bay Village, Ohio/Bay) dummied and it wound up on the foot of senior Joachim Walker (Bay Village, Ohio/Bay). Walker promptly slotted the ball low into the net past the diving goalkeeper.
The Vikings tacked on an insurance goal in the 68th minute when freshman Adrian Balc (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) took a pass from freshman Bryan Fecke (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) and hit a rocket from 18 yards out into the lower right-hand corner.
Senior Josip Novkovic (Euclid, Ohio/Lake Catholic) made a pair of saves in the first half, while sophomore Amir Kettani (Kirtland, Ohio/Lake Catholic) stopped three shots in the second stanza to preserve the shutout.
CSU out-shot Niagara 20-10 and earned nine corners to the Purple Eagles' six.
Sophomore Eric Sullivan stopped seven shots for Niagara.
The Vikings are in action again when they host Duquesne on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 2:00 p.m.
