Box Score NEW LONDON, Conn.--Mark Leon (Wrentham, Mass.) scored in the 19th minute of action to lead the Connecticut College men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory against Bates College in front of 800 fans on fall weekend.
The Camels improved their record to 8-2-1 and are 4-2-1 in conference action. They are unbeaten in their last seven games. The Bobcats fell to 6-3-1 with 2-3-1 mark in NESCAC play.
Leon showcased his talent and ball skills with a terrific individual effort to corral a loose ball in the box at the six yard line and rifled home his team-leading sixth goal of the season. Connecticut College men's soccer assistant coach Trevor Prophet '10 was the last Camel to net six markers in his rookie season of 2007.
Junior Austin DaCunha (Brookfield, Conn.) posted his fifth shutout of the season, finishing with two saves for the Camels.
Bates College senior Sam Polito (Far Hills, N.J.) recorded four saves in the setback for the Bobcats.
The visitors had their best chance of the day in the 75th minute of action. Senior Sean Moyo (Bulawayo, Zimbawbwe) unloaded with a blast from 25 yards out but DaCunha was able to elevate to make the tip save that sent the ball out of play.
DaCunha was protected once again by the Camel defensive foursome consisting of senior Ajami Gikandi (Princeton, N.J.), sophomores Brooks Clark (Boxford, Mass.) and Nate Summers (Westfield, Mass.) along with freshman Tim Hilbrunner (Groton, Mass.).
Bates had one last chance in the closing minutes to put together a rush but Gikandi was able to break up a potential 2-on-1 situation with a clearing kick.
"Ajami is the type of guy who is all go all the time," his fellow defenseman Nate Summers said after the win. "That's how he plays. He sees the game well and he knows when he has the opportunity to make a move that he should do it and that's what he did for us. That was a huge play in the game for us today."
Summers is proud of the defense's work in logging two shutouts this week against quality opponents that had combined for 15 wins
"It's all mindset," Summers said. "We know every day going into practice and games that our back four and Colin Patch so it's really five, our objective is to leave a zero on that scoreboard and we're willing to do anything it takes to make that happen. We got a lot of good work out of the forwards today and it just made our job that much easier when they scored in the first half."
Gikandi is enjoying his final season in a Camel uniform, taking one day at a time.
"It feels amazing to be winning like this," Gikandi exclaimed after the game. "We haven't been in this position since I've been here. You really don't appreciate winning as much until you're a senior. We've just been having the mindset that every game is an important game and we just keep winning."
Bates will host Tufts next Saturday for a noon-time NESCAC match up in Lewiston, Maine.
The Camels will visit Amherst College Tuesday for a 3:30 p.m. game in Western Massachusetts.
