by The Cowl Editor on September 26, 2019
Friar Sports
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
Last Friday, the Providence College Men’s Soccer Team played its first Big East game against the Seton Hall University Pirates. The last time the two teams faced off against one another was last season, when the Friars defeated Seton Hall 1-0 in double overtime.
Heading into the game against Seton Hall, the team was looking to keep their win streak after a great week of wins against Sacred Heart University and Harvard University, winning 4-0 and 1-0 respectively, putting the Friars’ record at an overall 4-2, and making a name for themselves in Big East men’s soccer.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the pitch, Seton Hall came into the game still trying to find their footing, after a 1-3 record in the beginning of the season.
Throughout the first six games of the season, the Friars have been outshooting their opponents 111-32, even holding Harvard to five shots and Sacred Heart to only two shots.
In the first 26 minutes of the match, PC scored on a header from Paulo Lima ’22 to the top left frame of the goal right over Seton Hall’s goalkeeper. The goal came from an assist off a crossed ball corner kick from Joao Serrano ‘20RS, on the backside of the eighteen-yard box on the pitch. The corner kick came from Danny Griffin ’20, which Lima was able to head into the net for the Friars’ first and only goal of the match.
Within the first 45 minutes of the match, Seton Hall was not able to find a shot. Their chance came in the 63rd minute of the game off a free kick, which was tipped away by the Friars goalkeeper Austin Aviza ‘20RS. Aviza finished the game with four saves, and the Friars had 12 shots, including four on goal.
This win put the Friars at a 5-2 record, making them third in the Big East Conference, right behind St. John’s University and Georgetown University.
Immediately after the weekend, the Big East Weekly Honor Roll was announced. Both Aviza and Serrano were featured on the list. This was Serrano’s third time on the list this season, and Aviza’s first time this season. Aviza has so far recorded three straight shutouts for the season, on top of .61 goals against average, and .778 save percentage.
On Wednesday, PC faced off against their Rhode Island rival Brown University. After a tough defensive game, PC walked away from the match with a 1-0 victory, improving their record to 6-2, on a four-game win streak. The lone goal was scored by Ramzi Qawasmy ’22.
Coming off this match, the Friars look forward to continuing their Big East play with an away game in Washington, D.C. to face off against rival Georgetown.