MORGANTOWN, West Va. - The 15th-ranked Monmouth University men's soccer team defeated Binghamton, 2-0 in its final match at the 'Save Face WVU Classic' presented by Jersey's Subs at Dick Dlesk Field on Sunday afternoon. Senior Hermann Award Watch List member Ryan Kinne (Naugatuck, Conn. /Naugatuck) scored both of the Hawks' goals, one just before the half and the second with just over three minutes left in the match, to help MU improve to 2-0 on the season. The Blue and White, which defeated host West Virginia, 1-0 in double overtime on Friday evening, won the tournament by virtue of being the only undefeated side after the weekend.
"Anytime you come to a BIG EAST venue and get a pair of positive results against very good competition, you're going to be happy," said MU head man Robert McCourt. "I thought we played well, especially in the first half, and Ryan scored two spectacular goals and came close to a hat trick. We showed a lot of character to grind out the result today and get a convincing win in the second game of a top-notch early season tournament. "
Kinne, who assisted on the game-winner in Monmouth's win over the Mountaineers on Friday, gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute when he scored off a direct kick from just outside the 18-yard box. Kinne added his second score of the contest in the 87th minute when, following a corner kick from junior Matt Beverin (Glen Rock, N.J. /Glen Rock [Louisville]), he executed a perfect half volley from the edge of the box into lower right passed Bearcat keeper Anthony Sokalski.
"The first goal was a relieving moment to get a lead going into the half," said Kinne. "They pressed us in the second half, so getting the second goal and having a more comfortable lead was huge."
The senior, who was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player in addition to being on the all-tournament team, now has 25 career tallies, which places him sixth on Monmouth's all-time career goals list.
"We not only proved to everyone else that we were a good team, but we proved it to ourselves against good competition in these two matches," added Kinne.
MU appeared to take the match's initial lead in the 23rd minute on an Erkko Puranen (Viitasaari, Finland Voionmaan Lukio [Rhode Island]) goal, but the junior's tally was taken off the board by an offside call.
MU senior keeper and Hermann Award Watch List member Bryan Meredith (Scotch Plains, N.J. /Scotch Plains-Fanwood) made a pair of saves for his second straight shutout, the 27th of his career. Binghamton outshot the Hawks, 12-10 and held a 5-4 advantage on corner kicks in the match.
In addition to Kinne, Meredith, junior midfielder Max Hamilton (Medford, N.J. /Shawnee) and senior defender Anthony Vazquez (Belford, N.J. /Middletown North [St. John's]) were also named to the all-tournament team.
In addition to the host Mountaineers, who were selected third in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll, the tournament also included the Bearcats, a perennial NCAA Tournament team from the America East and #23 UNC Wilmington, the defending Colonial Athletic Association Champions.
Monmouth returns to action on Friday, September 10 when it hosts Saint Peter's at 3:00 pm in the Hawks' home opener.
