NEW ROCHELLE, NY –The Iona College men’s soccer program put forth its best effort of the season Saturday afternoon, sending the homecoming crowd home happy with a 3-0 shutout win against Canisius. The Gaels got scores from sophomores Daniel Huertas and Killian Colombie along with junior Marcos Nunez. Senior Julian Petrello made three saves in net for the Maron & Gold’s first shutout effort of the year.
Iona wasted no time in establishing its blitzkrieg offense. In the first 30 seconds of the game, the Gaels had four shots, three on goal. In the opening 20 minutes, the Golden Griffs fended off 12 dangerous attacks and the Maroon & Gold’s siege on net finally resulted in breach come the 22nd minute. Nunez scored Iona’s first, his third of the season, by taking in a short pass from Huertas and guiding it into the left side from six yards out.
The Gael lead doubled when Colombie netted his fourth of the season in the 39th minute. The sophomore attacker corralled his own rebound after an initial shot and buried it to give his team a 2-0 lead.
The first period was Iona’s most dominant 45 minutes of the season. It outshot Canisius 18-3, and earned seven corner chances. Petrello had to make just one save in the opening half.
The second half was a more even tilt. The teams combined for just seven shots on goal, and the Gaels failed to earn even one corner kick chance.
With the Golden Griffs pushing forward, Huertas was able to score his sixth of the season in the 88th minute by working beautifully with junior Matias Correa. The Gaels leading goal-scorer took one dribble after receiving in a pass roughly 35 yards out and rocketed his longest strike of the season into the lower left side.
Petrello finished the game with three saves in net. He now has 16 shutouts in his Iona career.
The Gaels next game is on Wednesday, Oct. 19 on the road against nationally recognized Rider University.
