ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—Eastern University Men's Soccer improved to 4-0 in the Freedom Conference on Saturday with its fourth straight conference shutout win. The Eagles pushed past the Delaware Valley College Aggies 5-0 led by two goals from Ben Barnhart and goals by Josh Cirocco, Hunter Rosenberg and Ben Hangey.
In goal for the Eagles, Jamie Stratton recorded his fifth straight win splitting the shutout with Nick Policastro. Del Val only tested Stratton once, but he recorded the save late in the first half.
The Eagles out-shot the Aggies 25-4 overall and were able to play all of their healthy field players in the lopsided win.
Cirocco put the Eagles on the board in the ninth minute after a strong pass down the sideline by left back Jair Saenz. Cirocco chased down the pass behind Del Val's backline and fired a shot from the left corner of the six across the goalmouth and tucked it inside the far post. Cirocco's goal was his fifth of the season.
In the 18th minute, Eagles' forward Eric Giovagnoli collected a go-ahead pass by Jadon Ramsing near the 18 carried the ball past his defender to the end line and forced the keeper out to him. Giovagnoli quickly crossed the ball to Barnhart on the doorstep for the sitter and the 2-0 lead.
The Eagles continued to challenge the rest of the first half but didn't score their third goal until the 57th minute. Center back John Remsberg booted a ball over the top from deep in Eastern territory that took one bounce and found the foot of Barnhart. Barnhart saw that Del Val's goalkeeper was off his line and deftly chipped the ball over his head and into the goal on one hop.
Giovagnoli earned the Eagles a penalty kick in the 60th minute. After receiving a quality through-ball from Hunter Rosenberg, Giovagnoli was taken out by the goalkeeper in the box. In a classy move, Giovagnoli, who normally takes Eastern's PKs and is 4-for-4 lifetime from 12 yards out, handed the ball to Rosenberg to take the shot. Rosenberg buried the shot on the right side of the net for his first goal of the season.
Sophomore Ben Hangey capped the Eagles scoring in the 64th minute, burying a header from the six after a cross by Cirocco from the left wing.
The Eagles, in good position alone at the top of the Freedom Conference can lock up a postseason appearance with one more Freedom win. Eastern gets a chance to do that on Wednesday at 3:15 p.m. when King's College comes to town.
Box Score
Click here to view all of the goals from Saturday's game
