Cougars Win Home Opener 5-2 - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

Friday, September 5

Patriot's Point

7:30pm

College of Charleston

Northwestern

Cougars Win Home Opener 5-2 - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

9/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

#articleRelated { display: none !important; } College of Charleston's Ricardo Diaz Granados scored two late goals to secure the 5-2 win over Northwestern in soccer action this evening at the Aaron Olitsky Memorial Classic being held this weekend at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, SC. In the first game of the tournament 22nd-ranked South Carolina defeated Richmond 3-0.

The Cougars (1-1) scored just two minutes into the contest when Keion Yearwood hit one in from 12 yards out off the double assist from Ben Hollingsworth and Troy Lesesne.

Steve Loverso increased the lead to 2-0 with a goal at the 46:10 mark to close out the first half. His assists came from Lesesne and Jeff Files.

Northwestern (0-1-2) cut the margin to one with a goal at 52:36 after Brad Napper brought one home from Jaro Pylpczak at 52:36. The Cougars promptly responded when Files netted the ball off the indirect kick from Sage Martina at 59:39. The Wildcats again cut the margin to one when Gerardo Alvarez converted on a penalty kick at 63:35. Granados added the insurance goal at 82:45 after he took a pass from Hollingsworth up the field for the score. Less than a minute (83:27) later Granados scored again when he hit the top of the net from Files' left cross.

The shots were fairly even with the Cougars holding the slight 17-16 edge. Northwestern had five saves to Charleston's four. Lesesne, Hollingsworth, Granados and Yearwood all had three shots to lead the Cougars. Gerardo Alvarez led Northwestern with four shots.

Gamecocks Michael Sambursky, Jack Cummings and Ayo Akinsete all scored a goal as 22nd-ranked South Carolina (3-0) defeated Richmond 3-0 in the opening match. The Gamecocks out-shot the Spiders 15-3 in the win. Eric Szesycki led USC with three shots, while Ben Corfield had two shots to pace the Spiders (1-2).

The Aaron Olitsky Memorial Classic continues Sunday at Patriots Point when South Carolina plays Northwestern at 1:00 PM and the Cougars face Richmond at 3:00 PM.