Men’s Soccer Breaks Losing Streak
By Oscar Docavo
The Bulldogs began their homestand on Monday, Sept. 25, hosting Saint Elizabeth University.
SEU forward Sebastian Londono capitalized on a Bulldog error to open the scoring at the 11-minute mark. Brooklyn answered toward the end of the first half with two goals in quick succession. Brooklyn then forced an own goal to equalize at the 38-minute mark. Less than two minutes later, BC senior midfielder Jordi Hernandez converted a penalty kick to give the Bulldogs the lead. The Bulldogs held the lead for a little more than ten minutes before Londono equalized with his second goal of the game. BC’s Alejandro Lopez scored from the penalty spot to make it 3-2 before Cody Ikner gave SEU a two-goal cushion. BC freshman Seif Mokhtar scored the third penalty of the game in the ninetieth minute. It proved to be too little for the Bulldogs, who went on to lose 3-4.
The Bulldogs liberated any frustration they may have felt by dismantling Medgar Evers College on Wednesday, Sept. 27.
Brooklyn won their first game of the season in style, with freshman Rayan Vukovic scoring the first goal of the match within the first minute. Vukovic scored again in the fifth minute. Both goals were assisted by freshman George Koufos. Mokhtar then scored his second goal of the week in the fourteenth minute. Koufos would cap off his hat trick of assists when freshman midfielder Adan Khodorkovsky scored Brooklyn’s fourth goal at the 49-minute mark. The Bulldogs dominated the rest of the game, winning 6-0. The Bulldogs hope to use this victory as a turning point in their season.
Women’s Soccer Hopes To Bounce Back After A Tough Week
By Oscar Docavo
The women’s soccer team traveled to Jersey City for a match against New Jersey City University on Sept. 25.
Brooklyn College held their own against NJCU in the first half, only conceding a goal to a 28-minute penalty kick. However, NJCU went on to pepper Brooklyn with 48 shots, 17 of them on goal. Although the Bulldogs’ goalkeeper Angelina Vasta made an impressive seven saves, and defender Dionisia Payamps snatched a consolation goal at the 69-minute mark, Brooklyn lost the game 11-1.
Later in the week, the Bulldogs traveled to Long Island to play Old Westbury on Sept. 27. The Bulldogs went on to lose another game on the road 2-7.
The team was caught completely off guard by Old Westbury in the opening exchanges. The Panthers put six goals in the back of the net in the first 25 minutes. Old Westbury freshman Alyse Then scored a hat trick and assisted against the Bulldogs. Bulldog midfielder Oshen Henderson later got on the scoresheet at the 38 and 65-minute marks. Vasta, who was dubbed a 2022 CUNYAC all-star, made a tremendous nine saves. The Bulldogs hope to find a spark during their upcoming homestand when they play York College on Oct. 3 and Lehman College on Oct. 7.
Women’s Volleyball Has A Week Of Two Halves
By Oscar Docavo
The women’s volleyball team at Brooklyn College crushed Medgar Evers College in one of their most dominant displays yet this season on Tuesday, Sept. 26. The Bulldogs were dominant from the very beginning, starting off the first set with a 12-1 lead. Brooklyn won each set with scores of 25-4, 25-5, and 25-13 respectively.
The closest Medgar Evers came to Brooklyn was in the third set when the two sides had four points each to begin the set. However, Brooklyn snuffed out any hope Medgar Evers had of a victory after going on a 6-0 run. BC junior Aleah Rafat gave the opposition nightmares with eight kills and five aces, a season-high for her. She also had a season-high 13 points. Defensively, sophomore Emma Steele was responsible for a team-high eight digs. Other stand-out performers include juniors Sydney Gdanski and Katia Mercado who each had seven aces.
Two days after their victory, the Bulldogs hosted John Jay College of Criminal Justice on Thursday, Sept. 28. The Bloodhounds are undefeated and sit in first place in conference play with a 4-0 record in CUNYAC. Brooklyn College showed flashes of their quality, but could not withstand an ascendant John Jay. John Jay won the game 3-1.
The Bulldogs lost the first set 15-25, but they fought back. Brooklyn responded, winning the second set 25-21 and losing 11-25 in the third. In the third set, Rafat, the 2021 CUNYAC rookie of the year, contributed four kills in a crucial six-point run. Despite their efforts, the Bulldogs could not stop their rivals from going on a 14-0 run. It was a similar story in the fourth set. The lead was exchanged between teams with Brooklyn going up 12-11 at one point. However, John Jay’s depth proved to be the difference as they pulled away with an eight-point run. The Bulldogs ended the week 4-6 overall and 3-2 in their conference.