NORFOLK, Va. (October 4, 2018) – Thanks to a pair of victories last week, the SUNY Delhi men's soccer team climbed up one spot to number three nationally in this week's USCAA Division II Coaches Poll with 235 votes. Head coach Brian Mitko's team has won their last three matches to stand at 6-2, thanks in part to a 3-0 shutout win at Elmira last Wednesday and a 3-1 home victory over Green Mountain Saturday.
Senior defender Stefan Correia and sophomore forward Brody Rettle were recognized as ACAA Defensive and Offensive Players of the Week, respectively, for their performances in both wins. Rettle scored the go-ahead goals in each of Delhi's victories, netting the first goal against Elmira just nine-and-a-half minutes into the contest and giving the Broncos a 2-1 lead against Green Mountain in the 47th minute. Correia and the defense preserved Delhi's one-goal lead over Elmira for most of the match before the Broncos added a pair of second-half scores. Then on Saturday, Correia and company shut out the Eagles in the second half, allowing Delhi to tack on a game-clinching score near the end of the contest. Over both games, the defense allowed just 23 shots with 15 on goal.
Junior Alhasane Sako, who has earned USCAA and ACAA Athlete of the Week honors this season, leads the Broncos with 17 points on eight goals, with his one assist coming on Rettle's score Wednesday at Elmira. Rettle boosted his scoring totals to 14 points on five goals and four assists to rank second on the team. Goalkeeper Marcos Andrino's shutout performance Wednesday put him at 5-1 with two shutouts on the year. Freshman goalie Gabriel Rodriguez came on in the second half to shut out Green Mountain, earning the win to improve to 1-1.
Johnson & Wales Charlotte led the Division II poll again with 250 votes, with Penn State Brandywine second with 237 votes. Christendom ranked fourth with 232 votes, while New Rochelle rounded out the top five with 224 votes.
Delhi's next two matches are against fellow ranked teams in USCAA Division II. The Broncos play Thursday night at Albany College of Pharmacy at 7:00 p.m., followed by at SUNY ESF on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Both the Panthers and Mighty Oaks are tied for seventh this week with 212 votes.
