New York, NY. – The John Jay men's soccer team controlled much of the action and generated 30 shots, including 19 in the second half, but couldn't find the equalizer as the Bloodhounds fell to Yeshiva University, 3-2, on Wednesday afternoon at Randall's Island.
John Jay (4-5-0) finished the contest with a commanding 30-9 advantage in shots, including a 17-5 edge in shots on goal, while also holding a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks. Yeshiva goalkeeper Ran Nachlieli made 15 saves to preserve the victory for the Maccabees (2-2-2).
The Bloodhounds wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as
Josh Clemas opened the scoring just 1:52 into the contest.
Sebastian Leja and
Blake Paves combined to set up Clemas, who found the back of the net for his team-leading seventh goal of the season and gave John Jay an early 1-0 advantage.
Yeshiva responded in the 12th minute when Franco Busso scored off an assist from David Reuven to even the match at 1-1. Busso struck again at the 22:35 mark, finishing a feed from Ariel Diner to give the visitors their first lead of the afternoon, 2-1. John Jay answered just over three minutes later. Clemas turned provider this time, setting up
Petur Larusson, who scored his first goal of the season at 25:52 to pull the Bloodhounds level at 2-2.
The tie lasted just 44 seconds. Busso completed his first-half hat trick at 26:36, converting a pass from Barel Lavinsky to put Yeshiva back in front, 3-2. Despite John Jay continuing to create opportunities, that goal ultimately proved to be the game-winner. The Bloodhounds took 11 shots in an action-packed opening half and forced Nachlieli into four saves. John Jay increased the pressure considerably after halftime.
The Bloodhounds outshot Yeshiva, 19-2, over the final 45 minutes and put 11 shots on goal, but Nachlieli turned aside every attempt.
Greg Semsarian tested the Yeshiva goalkeeper three times in an eight-minute span early in the second half, but Nachlieli made saves on all three opportunities.
Miguel Espinal was at the center of John Jay's second-half attack, finishing the afternoon with a match-high 10 shots, including four on goal. Espinal forced saves in the 46th, 65th, 68th and 74th minutes as the Bloodhounds continued to search for the equalizer.
John Jay maintained the pressure down the stretch.
James Calle had an attempt stopped in the 67th minute before
Cody Habert forced another save in the 71st.
The Bloodhounds continued pushing numbers forward in the closing minutes, earning four corner kicks over the final 12 minutes. One of John Jay's final opportunities came in the 87th minute when
Jacob Zuniga put an attempt on target, but Nachlieli again came up with the save. The Bloodhounds earned back-to-back corner kicks moments later but couldn't produce the tying goal.
John Jay held Yeshiva to just two shots in the second half after the Maccabees scored three times on seven first-half attempts.
Clemas led the Bloodhounds with a goal and an assist, while Larusson recorded his first goal of the campaign. Leja and Paves each registered an assist. Espinal's 10 attempts led all players, while Semsarian finished with four shots, all four of which were on goal. Davio Rossi-Levin made two saves over 72:26 in goal for John Jay before
Vlad Kuryliv played the final 17:34 without allowing a goal.
The Bloodhounds resume conference play as they travel to Lehman on Saturday for 11:00 a.m. kickoff against the Lightning.
