Box Score Castleton, VT--Freshman forward Thomas Aldana (Providence, RI) scored his first career hat trick as Rhode Island College defeated Castleton, 4-2, in Little East men's soccer action played at Dave Wolk Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
THE BASICS
Rhode Island College 4, Castleton University 2
Rhode Island College (6-4-1, 3-1 LEC)
Castleton University (3-8-0, 1-3 LEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Castleton struck first in the ninth minute when sophomore forward Ben Stewart (Dorset, VT) was set up by seniors Colby Gay (Milton, VT) and Jack Kingdon (Woodbury, CT) to put the hosts on top, 1-0.
• RIC went scoreless in the first half, after they dominated the majority of play, outshooting Castleton, 13-5, and holding the advantage in corner kicks, 5-1.
• RIC was able to get on the board in the 53rd minute when freshman midfielder Dominic Nnadi (Suleja, Nigeria) set up Aldana to tie the game, 1-1. It was Aldana's second goal of the season.
• RIC kept the pressure on the CU defense when Nnadi was able to tally in the 54th minute to give the Anchormen a 2-1 lead on his second marker of the season.
• The Anchormen were able to extend their lead in the 57th minute when Aldana scored his second goal of the game, and third of the season, to make the score 3-1.
• The hosts cut the deficit down to one, 3-2, when Kingdon scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season in the 66th minute.
• RIC added another goal late in the game when freshman midfielder Axel Ortega (Providence, RI) set up Aldana for his third strike of the game in the 87th minute and seal the win for the visitors.
BY THE NUMBERS
• RIC junior goalkeeper Charlie Tashjian (West Warwick, RI) made six saves in the win (5-4-1).
• CU junior goalkeeper Alex Fernald (Phillipsburg, ME) made two saves in the loss (1-6).
• RIC held the advantage in shots, 19-11, and corner kicks, 5-1.
• Aldana's hat trick marks the second consecutive game a RIC player has scored three times. Junior forward Sa-Leem Kamarah's (Providence, RI) notched a hat trick in the squad's, 3-2, win vs. Eastern Connecticut on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
WHAT'S NEXT
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will host Wheaton on Wednesday, Oct. 9 (7 p.m.).
