Julian Stewart
Julian Stewart

Bentley Topples Top Seeded Adelphi 2-1 as Stewart Scores Twice

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – Junior Julian Stewart (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxboro) scored two second half goals as Bentley upset top seeded Adelphi 2-1 on Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the Northeast-10 Men's Soccer Championship.

Stewart scored in the 70th and 86th minutes as the Falcons rallied from a 1-0 first half deficit. It's the fourth win in a row and sixth in seven games for the Falcons as they continue their late season run. They will face No. 5 seeded Le Moyne on Friday, who defeated Southern New Hampshire on penalty kicks.

Adelphi, which was ranked No. 8 nationally coming into this game, led 1-0 at halftime on a goal by James Thirstino in the 28th minute. The goal came after Falcons goalie David Price (Needham, Mass./Beaver Country) saved a penalty kick from Federico De Oliveria, but Thirstino was able to get to the rebound and poke it in to give the Panthers the lead.

Adelphi had an 8-3 edge in shots in the first half, but Price helped keep Bentley in it with five saves.

As the 2nd half started, Bentley started to establish itself in the game. They had the first five shots of the half. A shot by Luc Batawi (Raleigh, N.C./Enloe) went high, Stewart had a header go wide, then three straight shots that were saved by Adelphi keeper Raymond Leto. One each by Alec Foster (Wayland, Mass./Wayland), Colby Gould (Exeter, N.H./Exeter) and Stewart.

It took about 16 minutes after that flurry, but Bentley's pressure paid off when Stewart scored in the 70th minute to tie the score 1-1. Senior Sean Sullivan (Suffield, Conn./Suffield) helped set the goal up with a cross from the left side of the box that Stewart deposited into the back of the net.

Adelphi had the next three shots over the next 15 minutes after the tying goal, but Bentley converted its next chance for the eventual game-winner in the 86th minute. Stewart took a cross from the top of the box from Gould, and fired in a shot into the top left corner to give Bentley a 2-1 lead.

Adelphi actually had a potential goal overturned for offsides after a replay, and Bentley saw the game out for the big upset.

Price finished the night with seven saves to earn the win in goal.

Bentley and Le Moyne just played last Friday, with the Falcons winning 2-1 to clinch their playoff spot.