The Kingsborough Community College Wave won its first men’s soccer championship since 1998 by defeating the Borough of Manhattan Community College 3-2 tonight at the Metropolitan Oval in Maspeth, Queens. BMCC had won five consecutive championships, and seven since the year 2000.
Kingsborough was led by Most Valuable Player Victor Tlepshev, who scored the equalizer and game winning goals minutes apart in the second half.
The game began on this chilly October night, with KCC dominating play early. Through the first fifteen minutes, KCC had several scoring opportunities, with BMCC freshman keeper Dario Cabanas making two of his six saves early. BMCC then became inspired, and carried play for a bit.
In the 21st minute however, a handball call in the box gave Kingsborough a penalty kick, and Huggins Orelien converted, giving the Wave a 1-0 lead.
BMCC continued to play well offensively, with several more opportunities. In the 26th minute, their pressure was rewarded, when Giorgio Ferrara converted a penalty kick to knot the score at one. The play had been set up when a BMCC attacker was yanked down in the box.
BMCC’s attack continued. The Panthers took their first lead of the game eight minutes later on a Sani Mubarak tally. Ferrara had chipped a pass over the head of the KCC keeper, which Mubarak collected the ball and promptly deposited it into the back of the net.
As the first half concluded, BMCC held a 2-1 lead. Through the first 45 minutes, KCC out-shot BMCC 11-7, though the BMCC attack was stifled by four offsides calls. Play began to get rough, as BMCC recorded 11 fouls in the first half, and KCC five.
The second half continued rough, with BMCC’s Chris Rouger earning a red card in the 47th minute. KCC capitalized quickly, as Tlepshev tied the score on a direct kick. “We put pressure on the goalie and we finally got through,” Tlepshev would say. “I felt like I needed to take a good shot, and I did.”
Tlepshev scored the eventual game-winning goal minutes later, as the BMCC keeper came out, and allowed the ball to get over his head. Tlepshev settle the ball, and scored into an open goal.
Of the Israeli national, KCC head coach Franco Legovich would say, “Victor’s international experience helped him in this game.”
The game was marred shortly thereafter, when a nasty collision between KCC’s Nicholas Walker and BMCC’s Modou Seck sent both players off the pitch and out of action.
BMCC played inspired, with several great opportunities throughout the remainder of the game. Twice goals were called back because of offsides. Twice the Panthers would hit the crossbar. A mad scramble in front of the KCC goal in the 72nd minute produced great drama, but no goals. Allen Pierre and Moses Kanduri split time in goal for the Wave, with Kanduri earning the win with three saves.
“I am proud of my team,” Legovich would say. “We have played with injuries all year. It allowed us to fight through this tough game.”