NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., November 1, 2023 –
Ryosuke Tanaka scored the only two goals of the game, lifting the No. 8-ranked Monroe College Mustangs men's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over No. 19 Monroe Community College Wednesday afternoon in the East District Championship semifinals at Skidelsky Field. The Mustangs will now host the East District Championship final on Saturday, Nov. 4, against Montgomery College.
After the previous matchup was decided by a penalty kick, the Mustangs made sure to get off to a quicker start on Wednesday. In just the fifth minute of the game,
Sunao Yamamoto sent a through ball right up the middle of the field for
Ryosuke Tanaka, setting him up one-on-one with the goalie for an easy goal just inside the left post, giving the Mustangs an early 1-0 edge.
Tanaka struck again for the Mustangs in the second half to double the lead. In the 58th minute,
Alejandro Silvestrini set Tanaka up beautifully inside the box for his second goal of the day, extending the Mustangs' lead to 2-0, which proved to be the final score of the game.
The Mustangs dominated possession and opportunities in Wednesday's semifinal, outshooting the Tribunes, 22-4, including a 9-1 edge in shots on goal. Goalkeeper
Alvaro Ramos needed just one save to earn the shutout victory on Wednesday, while Monroe Community College's Damian Bohler yielded two goals with seven stops to take the loss.
The Mustangs can now look ahead to Saturday, Nov. 4, when they host Montgomery College in a rematch of last year's East District Championship Final. Saturday's matchup at Skidelsky Field will take place early in the day, but a specific time will be announced shortly.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 20 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at
www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (
Monroe Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (
@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
