Bronx, NY, September 22, 2021 - After dropping its first game of the season 24 hours ago, the Monroe Express men's soccer got back in the win column with a 3-0 shutout of Region 15 opponent Bronx Community College on the road Wednesday afternoon at Ohio Field. The victory improves the Express' record to 4-1 (3-0 Region XV) while the Broncos fall to 1-2 (1-2 Region XV) with the loss.
Bronx Community College came out firing early, but sophomore keeper Aaron Quezada (Chihuahua, Mexico) turned away three of their first four shots to keep the game scoreless. After missing the net on a couple of chances, the first true opportunity came in the 32nd minute when Abubakar Alotey (Ghana) was denied from point-blank range by Bronx Community College freshman keeper Jaafar Haidara off a gorgeous cross from Andres Lora (Buenos Aires, Argentina) as the game remained scoreless.
In the 43rd minute, Monroe-Bronx earned a free kick opportunity. Lora sent in a cross that James Gerbier (Rosedale, N.Y.) headed onto the foot of a sliding Edwin Zuniga Lopez (Bronx, NY), who tapped it into the bottom right pocket of the net to give the Express the lead 1-0 going into halftime. The tally was Lopez's team-leading sixth tally on the season and 18th of his career.
After the Express outshot the Broncos 15-5 in the first half, they controlled the possession for a majority of the second half, almost cashing in as Haidara denied Gerbier on a breakaway in the 62nd minute. Over six minutes later, sophomore forward Santiago Lopez (Columbia) stole the ball sent it into the goalie box to Edwin Zuniga Lopez (Bronx, NY), whose sliding left-footed blast deflected off the right toe of sophomore forward Kymron Ashley (Braes River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica) into the right pocket of the net to extend the lead to 2-0. The tally was Ashley's first of the season and the third of his career.
The Express' third goal came in the 88th minute when freshman Anthony Lopez uncorked a blast from 30 yards out for the first goal of his career. Abul Chowdhury (Bronx, N.Y.) led the counterattack up left-wing, stopping on a dime and feeding Antonio Lopez in the middle, who sent it into the top right corner of the net.
The Express outshot the Broncos 26-10 for the match putting 11 of their 26 shots on goal, with freshman keeper Jaafar Haidara making five stops and Melvin Valerio turning away three to keep Bronx Community College in the match. Quezada got the victory in his first career start making four saves and picking up the clean sheet.
The Express will look to make it back-to-back road victories on the road this Saturday, September 25, against Region 15 opponent Kingsborough Community College. The time and site of the match are still being determined, so for more information on the matchup, click the Monroe Express Men's Soccer Schedule.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 36 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports program, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 17 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter (@MonroeExpress), and Instagram (@MonroeExpress).
