Aug. 31, 2007
Contact: Brian McCann
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State score just 3:20 into the contest but couldn't hang onto the lead as St. Bonaventure rallied to score three first half goals to claim a 3-1 win over the Vikings at Krenzler Field in the season opener for both teams.
"Soccerwise, I'm happy with our effort and the progression that we have made over our last three matches," head coach Ali Kazemaini said. "We're a young team and we're starting to do some of the things we need to do to be successful.
"We gave up three bad goals," Kazemaini continued. "There is nothing more you can say about it. The first one we have all contained and then we let them turn and go the other way and that set the goal up. The second goal came because we were not paying attention to where all the attackers were. And the last goal should never have been served. We had the guy doubled, yet he still got the cross off to a guy left open on the post. If we do those kinds of things, we're not going to win.
"Still, I thought there was an awful lot of positive there and I think we are going to have a good season."
The Vikings got onto the scoreboard in the fourth minute when Mitch Boyer blasted a free kick from 35 yards out on the right side that Bonnie goaltender David Flynn couldn't contain. Steve Trapp, who was playing his first game for CSU since late in the 2005 campaign, pounced on the mishandled shot and blasted it into the right corner of the goal from just two yards out.
"Steve did what he was supposed to do," Kazemaini said. "He followed the shot and took advantage of the opportunity."
The Bonnies evened the match at 1-1 at the 11:51 mark Jon Lopez's shot was deflected by a Viking defender right to the waiting foot of Stephen Bortolon, who blasted in past CSU goalkeeper Dan Duric.
Backside defense proved to be the Vikings' Achilles Heel on the evening as each of the next two Bonnie markers came when a backside offensive player broke free.
St. Bonaventure took a 2-1 lead in the 27th minute when Nikola Vasilev slipped behind the Viking defense on the backside to field a cross from Samuel Maheu. After gaining control, he knocked home a shot from 10 yards out at a right angle.
The Bonnies made it 3-1 in the 40th minute on a picture-perfect play. Tom Burkett made a short run down the left side and blasted a cross towards the back post that found the head of Dan Mitchell, who dove to make contact and direct it into the short-side of the net.
CSU outshot the Bonnies, 9-7, while St. Bonaventure held a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks. St. Bonaventure keeper David Flynn made four saves after allowing the early tally to earn the win.
The Vikings will return to action on Sunday when they travel to Niagara for a 1:00 pm match.
