Lehman Lightning NewsFlash (Week of 10/2/11)
By Trent Love/Andrew Pearson
Another day, another win…or so it seems for the Lehman Lightning men’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams.
Both teams have been on fire over the last several weeks with the men’s soccer team boasting a five-game undefeated streak while the women are riding high with a six-game run of their own.
As a result, the men’s soccer team sat in first place in the City University of New York Athletic Conference with a 5-1 record. Lehman can gain a stranglehold on the top seed for the upcoming playoffs if it defeats its next opponent, Hunter College on October 12.
Aside from the obvious immediate benefit of top playoff seeding, the Lightning also has a score to settle with the Hawks as it was Hunter who ended Lehman’s magical CUNYAC Championship run with a 2-0 victory in the 2010 final.
Through 11 games, the Lightning has been buoyed by a number of new faces, namely forwards Oumar Niang and Momar Thiam, both transfers from Borough of Manhattan Community College, with the latter having been named the CUNYAC/Applebees Men’s Soccer Player of the Week. Niang and Thiam have accounted for eight goals and have produced countless goal-scoring chances for the Lightning.
In the defensive backfield, Carlos Ribeiro has teamed with Edward Appah, Luis Lopez and 2010 CUNYAC Second Team All-Star Thaddeus Ikwuka to form a daunting back line that has limited opponents’ shots significantly as compared to a season ago. In 2011, the Lightning has managed 95 shots on goal while only 45 opponent shots have found their way to Lehman keeper Marcos Coto-Batres.
With men’s soccer steamrolling towards the CUNYAC Championships, the women’s volleyball team can boast of an equally impressive feat. During the course of its six match winning streak, the Lightning has not lost a single game to an opponent. Fans will have to go back to September 17 versus Ramapo College to find the last time that an opponent took a game from Lehman. Over that time, the Lightning has earned two conference wins over York and Medgar Evers in addition to toppling several impressive non-conference foes.
A true test will come for the Lightning on October 10 when the team faces perennial power Baruch College, the 2010 CUNYAC Championship runner-up. Prior to that, however, the Lightning will play a non-conference match against visiting New Jersey City University on October 7. Lehman fans should take note as it will be the second to last chance to see the Lightning in action at the APEX before season’s end.
Click to see exclusive interview with Lehman’s Soccer Coach Andre on BronxNet Television’s Show Open.
And don’t forget Lightning fans to stay up-to-date with all Lehman Athletics action by visiting the official website www.lehmanathletics.com.
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