Eagles have TEN to receive Conference Honors

 

Eastern senior forward Eric Giovagnoli earned Freedom Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors on Tuesday.

ANNVILLE, Pa.—Eastern University Men’s Soccer had 10 players named to the Freedom Conference First Team, Second Team or Honorable Mention lists on Tuesday. Senior forward Eric Giovagnoli earned Freedom Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors and Eagles’ head coach Mark Wagner earned Freedom Conference Coach of the Year status. Giovagnoli and Wagner have now won those awards in back-to-back seasons. Wagner has five lifetime coach of the year recognitions as head coach of the Eagles.

Through 18 games played so far, Eric Giovagnoli leads the 15-3 Eagles with 34 points on 14 goals and six assists. Giovagnoli is joined on the Freedom Conference First Team by midfielders Ben Barnhart and JD Saracco as well as senior defender Jair Saenz.

The Eagles placed three players on the Freedom Second Team. Junior defender John Remsberg made the squad for the second year in a row and was joined by freshman midfield Jadon Ramsing and sophomore goalkeeper Jamie Stratton. Stratton, in 11 games played this season has only allowed four goals.

Junior forward Josh Cirocco and defenders Nate Roberts and Xavier Young received an honorable mention.

Eastern Men’s Soccer won the Freedom Conference Semifinal game 3-0 against FDU-Florham shortly after the awards were released. The Eagles will host King’s College in the Freedom Conference Championship at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

 

Game 18: Eastern v. FDU Florham

Josh Cirocco scored his sixth goal of the year to help Eastern secure a 3-0 win over FDU-Florham. {Click the photo to view more pictures from today's game.}

ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—Eastern University Men’s Soccer advanced to the Freedom Conference Championship for the third time in five seasons after eliminating the FDU-Florham Devils 3-0 on Tuesday afternoon.

Eastern senior forward Eric Giovagnoli, designated Freedom Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row prior to the game, demonstrated how fitting the title is by netting two goals and assisting the Eagles’ third goal in the win. Giovagnoli tallied a penalty kick goal in the 24th minute and scored again in the 52nd minute. He then found junior forward Josh Cirocco for the Eagles’ final goal to put the game well out of reach.

Giovagnoli, who was not on the Eagles’ roster the last time they made the conference championship said he was more concerned about that opportunity than about receiving the individual recognition. “I’m on this team to win a conference championship this year,” he said. "I’m just excited to have that opportunity on Saturday."

After two goals and an assist, Giovagnoli's team-high points total in 2014 increased to 34 (14 goals, six assists).

Tuesday’s Freedom Conference Semifinal game shaped up to be a grudge match of last year’s semifinal game. The Eagles entered the game both years as the No. 1 seed in the conference with FDU as the fourth seed, but last year the Devils got the better of the Eagles and slipped past them 1-0.

Cirocco noted that the Eagles have had this game circled on their calendars for a long time. “You never want to lose on your home field,” he said. “It’s great to get [them] back and be in the conference championship game now."

Eagles’ sophomore goalkeeper Jamie Stratton recorded another clean sheet, making six saves to tie his season-high set during the regular season also against FDU-Florham. “The back line played really well today,” Stratton said. “I know I can rely on them all the time.” All four members of the Eagles’ back line were recognized as All-Conference players.

The Eagles took the lead in the 24th minute when Ben Barnhart found Hunter Rosenberg who worked his way into the box. Rosenberg was taken out in the penalty box resulting in a penalty kick for Giovagnoli. Giovagnoli went right, converting his third penalty kick of the season.

The Eagles put four more shots on goal to close out the first half but didn’t find the back of the net until six minutes into the second half. Rosenberg slid the ball over to Giovagnoli in the middle of the field from the right wing. Giovagnoli popped the ball into the air with a right-footed touch, collected it and cranked a screaming shot just beneath the crossbar.

The Eagles put the game away in the 79th minute. Giovagnoli worked to the end line, crossed a pass towards the six to find Cirocco who buried his sixth goal of the year and seal the final score at 3-0.

On Saturday, Eastern will be striving to win its first conference championship since joining the Freedom Conference in 2008. Prior to that, Eastern Men’s Soccer won conference championships as a member of the PAC in 1992, 2003, 2005 and 2007. Saturday’s championship game will start at 1 p.m. on Olson Field against King's College.Note:

Freedom Conference regular season individual awards were released prior to Tuesday’s game. The Eastern award winners were as follows:

Offensive Player of the Year: Eric Giovagnoli

Coach of the Year: Mark Wagner

1st Team All-Freedom: Eric Giovagnoli, Benjamin Barnhart, JD Saracco, Jair Saenz

2nd Team All-Freedom: Jadon Ramsing, John Remsberg, Jamie Stratton

Honorable Mention: Josh Cirocco, Nate Roberts, Xavier Young

Game 17: Eastern v. Wilkes

The Eagles recognized four seniors on Saturday (from left to right): Ben Barnhart, Jair Saez, Nick Policastro and Eric Giovagnoli.

ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—Eastern University Men’s Soccer clinched the top seed in the Freedom Conference on Saturday afternoon, shutting out Wilkes University 4-0 in the final game of the regular season.

With the win, the Eagles improved to 14-3 on the year and 6-1 in the Freedom Conference. The Eagles, who have earned five of those conference wins via shutout, have earned home field advantage in the conference tournament for the second year in a row. Last year, as the No. 1 seed, the Eagles were eliminated by FDU-Florham in the semifinal round. The Eagles will get a shot a redemption when they host FDU-Florham on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the conference semifinals.

The Eagles honored seniors Jair Saenz, Nick Policastro, Ben Barnhart and Eric Giovagnoli prior to the game and received three of the four goals from Barnhart and Giovagnoli.

In the 17th minute, Giovagnoli found his first goal after an assist from an unlikely candidate, goalkeeper Jamie Stratton. Stratton boomed a punt to the Wilkes’ 18. Giovagnoli played it on the hop, scurrying behind the center back and finishing his 11th goal of the year.

In addition to getting the assist, Stratton also recorded two saves. Policastro relieved Stratton in the second half and also recorded two saves.

Barnhart made it a 2-0 game in the 30th minute, ramping a shot off a defender up and over Wilkes’ keeper Kyle Romm. Neither team found the back of the net for the next 40 minutes until Giovagnoli tallied his second of the game. Andrew Ferman booked it down the right sideline to chase down a pass sent by right back Vanji Moise. Ferman beat his defender to the ball and found Giovagnoli filling into the space at the top of the penalty box. Giovagnoli took one touch and popped the ball over the diving keeper.

Eastern put the final nail in the coffin in the 88th minute with JT Spadin’s first collegiate goal. Spadin rebounded a deflected shot taken by Lucas Hutchinson and finished it near the right post.

Should the Eagles advance past Tuesday’s conference semifinal game, they will host the winner of Misericordia/King’s on Saturday early afternoon.

Game 16: Eastern v. PSU Abington

HORSHAM, Pa.--Eastern University Men's Soccer posted a 5-1 non-conference win at PSU-Abington with five different Eagles finding the back of the net.

The Eagles got off to a quick start with Eric Giovagnoli netting his team-best 10th goal of the season. Giovagnoli headed in a ball just off the right post after a long throw bounced into the box. Senior Ben Barnhart notched his eighth goal of the year with a strike from about 25 yards out in the 33rd minute. Giovagnoli quickly tapped a restart to Barnhart for the assist.
A little over two-and-a-half minutes later, freshman Andrew Ferman scored his first collegiate goal. Giovagnoli found Ferman for a breakaway who finished with a strike from outside the penalty box. Eastern carried the 3-0 lead into the second half and increased the lead to 4-0 with Hunter Rosenberg's third goal in a four-game span. JD Saracco slotted a through ball from midfield that Rosenberg ran down and finished far post.
The Eagles tallied their fifth and final goal in the 71st minute. Jon Nazon served in a corner kick that John Remsberg tapped in for his second goal of the year.
PSU-Abington notched a goal in the 89th minute, but it was too little, too late. The Abington Lions dropped to 4-8-4 while Eastern improved to 13-3.
The Eagles wrap up the regular season on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at home against Wilkes University.

Game 15: Eastern v. Desales

Eastern's Hunter Rosenberg scored his second goal of the year, putting Eastern ahead 1-0 with 10 minutes to play.

CENTER VALLEY, Pa.--Eastern University Men's Soccer was just 17 seconds away from extending its unbeaten conference streak to six games when DeSales University shockingly tied the game at 1-1 and forced overtime. Three minutes into extra time, DeSales' Joey Malvesuto knocked home the golden goal after recovering the ball on the doorstep.
After out-shooting DeSales 21-5 through the first 79 minutes, the Eagles scored the first goal of the game at the end of the 80th minute. Eastern's Ben Hangey made a pass from midfield that skittered to Hunter Rosenberg outside of the 18. Rosenberg touched the ball to his right, quickly cut back to his left foot and ripped a shot that cut between two DeSales defenders and finished inside the far post for his second goal of the year.
DeSales threatened in the 86th minute and the end of the 89th minute and earned a corner kick in the 90th minute. DeSales' Wes Frebel elected to make the corner kick pass out towards the 18 instead of towards the goalmouth. Bulldog Alex Peek ran to the ball, all alone, and fired a bouncing shot that missed all of the traffic in the box and bounced underneath Eagles' goalkeeper Jamie Stratton. The goal was just the third allowed by Stratton in seven games.
In extra time, the Eagles fired off a shot in the second minute, but Andrew Ferman's header on a long throw went wide. After three minutes of extra time expired DeSales broke down the right wing and crossed a ball down the baseline into the box. Stratton dove for the cross and got a hand on it. DeSales' Malvesuto snuck into the box in between two Eagles' defenders and got a foot on the ball. Stratton initially saved the shot, but Malvesuto ran through the ball, and sunk the game-winner.
Eastern dropped to 5-1 in the Freedom Conference, while DeSales improved to 2-4. The Eagles are back in action with a non-conference game at PSU-Abington on Monday. They'll try to lock up home-field advantage throughout the conference playoffs when they host Wilkes University in the final regular season game on Saturday.

Game 14: Eastern v. Kings College

Eastern's Josh Cirocco chases down the ball in Wednesday's 2-1 win against King's College. Cirocco assisted Eric Giovagnoli's game-winning goal.

ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—Eric Giovagnoli scored both of the Eagles’ goals on Wednesday afternoon as Eastern University Men’s Soccer topped King’s College 2-1.

Giovagnoli, the Eagles’ team-leader in goals scored this season, buried the game-winner in the 78th minute, just 4:32 after King’s College had tied the game at 1-1.

With the win, the Eagles improved to 12-2 (5-0 Freedom) and secured a spot in the Freedom Conference playoffs. King’s dropped to 11-5-1 (3-2 Freedom) with the loss.

The Eagles hounded the Monarchs with 25 total shots, eight on goal. King’s was held to six shots total and two on goal. Neither team could find the back of the net through the first 45 minutes. The Eagles weren’t able to put any of their first-half shots on goal. Junior forward Josh Cirocco had two first-half attempts from the left side of the box aimed for the far post but both shots skimmed just wide.

King’s had a good look on goal in the end of the 35th minute, King’s Korbin Keene picked up a cross from the right wing that bounced behind Eastern’s back line and squared up a shot from about eight yards out. Eagles’ keeper Jamie Stratton dove and trapped the ball between his legs to keep the Monarchs scoreless through the first half.

Eight minutes into the second half, the Eagles put the game’s first goal on the board. On a Ben Barnhart corner kick from the left side, Nate Roberts headed the ball right at Monarchs’ keeper Tyler Wilson. Wilson had just enough time to bat the ball away, but it deflected right to the foot of Giovagnoli who finished right in front of the goal line.

King’s tied the game 20 minutes later on a headed in cross by Billy Brown.

The threat of overtime loomed for four-and-a-half minutes until Giovagnoli notched the game-winning goal. Cirocco intercepted a short goal kick and headed towards Giovagnoli who was even with the Monarchs’ back line. Giovagnoli weaved behind the center backs, collected the bouncing ball and punched it into the goal, his ninth goal this season.

The Eagles had a chance for an insurance goal in the 84th minute, but for the second time in the half, Eastern’s John Remsberg had a header denied on the goal line by a King’s defender.

Eastern will look to lock up the number one seed in the Freedom Conference with a win in their final two conference games. The Eagles play at DeSales at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Note: Eastern Men’s Soccer was ranked No. 7 in the Mid-Atlantic region in the NCAA regional ranking released on Wednesday. At the end of the year, this ranking is used to help determine NCAA tournament seeding.

Game 13: Eastern v. Delaware Valley

 

Eastern's Ben Hangey is surrounded by teammates after scoring his first collegiate goal on Saturday.

ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—Eastern University Men’s Soccer improved to 4-0 in the Freedom Conference on Saturday with its fourth straight conference shutout win. The Eagles pushed past the Delaware Valley College Aggies 5-0 led by two goals from Ben Barnhart and goals by Josh Cirocco, Hunter Rosenberg and Ben Hangey.

In goal for the Eagles, Jamie Stratton recorded his fifth straight win splitting the shutout with Nick Policastro. Del Val only tested Stratton once, but he recorded the save late in the first half.

The Eagles out-shot the Aggies 25-4 overall and were able to play all of their healthy field players in the lopsided win.

Cirocco put the Eagles on the board in the ninth minute after a strong pass down the sideline by left back Jair Saenz. Cirocco chased down the pass behind Del Val’s backline and fired a shot from the left corner of the six across the goalmouth and tucked it inside the far post. Cirocco’s goal was his fifth of the season.

In the 18th minute, Eagles’ forward Eric Giovagnoli collected a go-ahead pass by Jadon Ramsing near the 18 carried the ball past his defender to the end line and forced the keeper out to him. Giovagnoli quickly crossed the ball to Barnhart on the doorstep for the sitter and the 2-0 lead.

The Eagles continued to challenge the rest of the first half but didn’t score their third goal until the 57th minute. Center back John Remsberg booted a ball over the top from deep in Eastern territory that took one bounce and found the foot of Barnhart. Barnhart saw that Del Val’s goalkeeper was off his line and deftly chipped the ball over his head and into the goal on one hop.

Giovagnoli earned the Eagles a penalty kick in the 60th minute. After receiving a quality through-ball from Hunter Rosenberg, Giovagnoli was taken out by the goalkeeper in the box. In a classy move, Giovagnoli, who normally takes Eastern’s PKs and is 4-for-4 lifetime from 12 yards out, handed the ball to Rosenberg to take the shot. Rosenberg buried the shot on the right side of the net for his first goal of the season.

Sophomore Ben Hangey capped the Eagles scoring in the 64th minute, burying a header from the six after a cross by Cirocco from the left wing.

The Eagles, in good position alone at the top of the Freedom Conference can lock up a postseason appearance with one more Freedom win. Eastern gets a chance to do that on Wednesday at 3:15 p.m. when King’s College comes to town.

Box Score