Box Score
Moon Township, Pa. / North Athletic Complex — The
Robert Morris University men's soccer team thoroughly dominated its Friday afternoon match against Sacred Heart blowing out the Pioneers by a score of 5-0. Sophomores
Neco Brett (Kingston, Jamaica / Excelsior) and
Bruce Cullen (Pickering, Ontario / Pine Ridge) each finished the game with five points as RMU improved to 7-6-2 overall and 2-3 in the Northeast Conference. The Pioneers slip to 3-11 and 0-4 in league games.
The five-goal outburst by RMU is the team's best output since a 6-0 shellacking of Manhattan in 2006. Brett and Cullen are the first teammates to record five points or more in the same game in team history. Brett had a goal and three assists while Cullen, who came into the game third in the nation in assists, had two goals and a helper. Brett is just the fourth player, and second this season (Cullen vs. Duquesne, 9/25/13), to collect three assists in a game.
The Colonials chances started early as a brilliant diving save by Tucker Hackett kept a shot by junior
Devon Williams (Kingston, Jamaica / St. Georges) from finding the left side netting. The opportunity for RMU was a sign of things to come.
Robert Morris broke through the Pioneers packed penalty box in the 24th minute when Cullen played a cross to the middle of the box. Brett cut the ball left, found a hole and fired his 11th goal of the year into the right corner. Four minutes later, Brett set up Cullen 20 yards from net. Cullen, going right to left, hit a soft curling shot over the defense that slipped under the crossbar to give the Colonials a 2-0 lead.
Brett and Cullen got together again in the 34th minute. Brett collected the ball after a scramble in front of the Pioneers net. He played the ball back out to Cullen who fired his left-footed shot to the far right side netting for his fourth marker of 2013.
Brett recorded his third assist of the game in the 50th minute on a nice give-and-go with junior countryman
Carl Reid (Kingston, Jamaica / St. Georges). The play ended with Reid beating a defender into the SHU box before cutting his shot back to the left.
The Colonials continued to attack with the big lead. Williams put a shot off the crossbar in the 76th minute. The carom found the foot of Reid who scored his fifth of the year and second of game on a shot to the left post.
Freshman goalkeeper
Joseph Kuta (Mississauga, Ontario / St. Joan of Arc) was called upon twice to make saves and got help from
Matt Fonagy (Cecil, Pa. / Canon-McMillan) who headed a ball from the line to earn his fourth clean sheet of the season. RMU outshot SHU, 22-14.
Robert Morris wraps up its regular season home schedule and its non-conference slate this Sunday, Oct. 27, when Howard visits North Athletic Complex for a 3:00 p.m. game.
