DELAND, FLA- The Stetson Hatters men's soccer team picked their first win of the season in a 7-0 victory against the St. Thomas Tommies on Friday evening at the Athletic Training Center.
The Hatters showcased their depth with eleven different players contributing points, including six different players finding the back of the net. Stetson wasted no time establishing their dominance as Gabriel Toro opened the scoring in the eleventh minute, capitalizing on a precise cross from Alessandro Gabbani that eluded the diving goalkeeper, leaving Toro with an easy finish.
Just five minutes later, in the sixteenth minute, Luis Lara extended Stetson's lead by unleashing a powerful shot from the left side of the box, beating the goalkeeper on his right side. Kelvin Zinck made it 3-0 before halftime, rising unmarked to head in a corner kick, with Charles Ahl providing an expertly placed assist for both Lara and Zinck. The Hatters completely dominated the first half, outshooting the Tommies 9-0, with Lara registering three of those attempts.
The second half began with another quick strike as Andres Mata found the back of the net at the 45:29 mark, courtesy of an assist from Xavi Csato. Afonso Conde joined the scoring spree less than five minutes later, again benefiting from Csato's assist. Stetson's relentless pressure resulted in a Tommies' defensive mishap in the 57th minute, with an attempted clearance inadvertently ending up in their own net, extending the Hatters' lead to 6-0.
The Hatters sealed their emphatic victory with a seventh goal at the 65:31 mark, as Xavi Csato, who had also scored in the previous game against UCF, once again found the net, this time with an assist from William Mills. Csato's impressive performance earned him four points in the game, bringing his season total to six.
Stetson's offense was in full force, recording a total of 19 shots, with 11 of them on target, and earning nine corner kicks. Despite their offensive onslaught, goalkeeper Nicolo Radaelli had a relatively quiet game after a dazzling performance against UCF, making just one save tonight. Michael Smith took over for Radaelli in the 65th minute and faced no shots on goal.
The Hatters utilized their deep bench, with a staggering 27 different players taking the field, including two goalkeepers. Alvaro Gabancho made his first appearance since the 2021 season when he was recognized as a first-team All-ASUN defender. Seth Russ, Tavon Mussenden, and Steele Norton made their season debuts, while Jared Fuentes, Ben Peterson, Michel Kutsanzira, Giuseppe Croce, Charlie Rutt, William Mills, and Garret Wayne all made their first appearance in Stetson green.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.
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