Akpan Leads Harvard Past Crusaders

His Two Goals Pace Crimson

October 22, 2008

WORCESTER, Mass. – Andre Akpan tallied two goals and collected an assist and John Stamatis earned two helpers to guide the No. 22 Harvard men’s soccer team to a 3-0 victory at Holy Cross on a cold, drizzly Tuesday evening.

Michael Fucito scored the other Crimson goal, while goalkeeper Austin Harms earned the shutout to help extend Harvard’s win streak to four games.

Andre Akpan

Harvard's Andre Akpan scored twice on Tuesday. (Harvard Athletics)

Fucito, the defending Ivy League Player of the Week, put Harvard (7-3) ahead at 24:18 when he booted the ball into the right corner of the goal past a diving Thomas Booth. Akpan registered his first of five points on the night with the assist on the play.

In a defensive first half by both teams, the Crimson led in shots, 3-2, with the only shot on net coming on Fucito’s goal. Holy Cross (7-3-3) managed only one shot on goal for the contest, coming on a Paul Tearson kick at 52:57, but Harms was there to make the stop.

The Crusaders attempted back-to-back shots moments later, but Matt Beckley’s chances both went wide of the Harvard net. Kyle Miller recorded Holy Cross’s final shot of the evening, which went high, at 61:15, as Harvard’s defense shut down the Crusaders the rest of the way.

At 68:04, Stamatis moved the ball on a cross to just inside the box, finding Akpan’s leg. Akpan took possession and chipped it into the right side of the cage to double Harvard’s lead, 2-0. With less than 90 seconds remaining on the clock, Stamatis made a pass on a long cross from the left side to Akpan, who capped the scoring at 88:37.

Austin Harms, who was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week Monday, made one save and improved to 4-0-0.

Return from Akpan Leads Harvard Past Crusaders to College Soccer

ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS: