Catholic University of America

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C.  – The Catholic men's soccer team looked to push its win streak to four to start the season with a road trip to North Carolina Wesleyan. The game was back-and-forth throughout the second half but the Cardinals came up with two goals, including a winner from Andres Lopez to secure a 2-1 victory. 

The Cardinals held a slight advantage in shots in the first half, 3-1, with Michael Brown, Hamin Oladokun and Corey Magro getting the shots off for the team with Brown being the only one that hit the target. Krisstofer Sorby got the only shot off in the half for the Battling Bishops but it missed the target and the contest went into halftime deadlocked at zero.

Catholic found a breakthrough 12 minutes into the second half when Azaria Tewodros delivered a pass to Seth Michalak who slotted a shot into the back of the net to put the Cardinals on top, 1-0. Within 10 minutes, the Battling Bishops found an equalizer to pull the match back even at one with a Jordi Rodriguez goal.

The Cardinals quickly grabbed control of the game once again just five minutes later when Lopez scored on an assist from Kaleb Wilburn to take a 2-1 advantage. Catholic held things in check for the rest of regulation and did not allow another shot on goal to secure its fourth straight victory to start the season 4-0.

Owen Allegro, Graham Leary, Ellington Andrews, Corey Magro and Charlie Paparella all played the full 90 minutes for Catholic in the victory. The Cardinals have now gone unbeaten in their first four matches in back-to-back seasons. 

Michalak scored his second goal of the season, making him the third player on the squad to score multiple goals this season. Wilburn also earned his second assist of the season which currently leads the team. Lopez's goal was his first of the season and he is now the 10th different goal scorer for the program this year.

The Cardinals are back in action on Wednesday, September 16 to take on Neumann on Carlini Field. Kickoff is set for 7 pm.