The men’s soccer team wasted no time to score on Friday in the opening game of the Brown Soccer Classic in Providence, Rhode Island. Junior midfielder Cody Califore found the net 17 seconds into the first half and later added another as the Owls breezed past Holy Cross, 4-1.
After a day off, the Owls were shutout by host Brown on Sunday afternoon, 2-0. Brown scored twice in the second half, as senior forward T.J. Popolizo broke the scoreless tie in the 50th minute off a feed from junior midfielder Thomas McNamara.
Coach Dave MacWilliams said the Owls had a scouting report going into the Holy Cross game that led them to believe the Crusaders wouldn’t be able to handle a heavy offensive press. That proved correct, as the Owls drew out Holy Cross freshman goalkeeper Michael Thompson with a wide played ball who cleared it only 15 yards to the foot of Califore. The junior then chipped it over the defender and into the wide open net from 25 yards out.
Sophomore midfielder Nolan Hemmer added a goal before the halftime break, as he headed in a pass from his twin brother defenseman Sawyer Hemmer. Califore opened up the second half with his second goal from the left corner of the penalty area off an assist by senior midfielder Tyler Witmer. After a Holy Cross goal in the 75th minute made the score 3-1, junior midfielder Andrew Dodds gave the Owls its fourth goal of the game in the 82nd minute.
Through the first three games of the season, Califore has a team-leading three goals and scored in the Owls first two games, both wins.
“That’s a big sign for us, he’s come through for us and he’s our leading goal scorer,” MacWilliams said.
This week, the Owls travel to DeLand, Fla. to take part in the Stetson University Soccer Classic. On Friday, they’ll face off against Jacksonville before playing host Stetson on Sunday afternoon. The Owls are still three weeks away from opening their Atlantic Ten Conference schedule with a game on Oct. 7 at Richmond .
Matt Breen can be reached at matthew.breen@temple.edu.
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