10/3/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – After an extended layoff due to extenuating circumstances, Lackawanna College men's soccer is finally ready to hit the field in search of its first win. The Falcons are set to travel to take on Union College (NJ) on Thursday, October 3^rd in a Region XIX divisional crossover match.
 
The game is set for a 6:00pm ET kick from Oak Ridge Park in Clark, NJ. There will be a video livestream available via the Union Owls Athletics YouTube Channel, linked directly HERE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (0-2) has struggled to get on track so far this season, dropping its first two matches by a combined score of 13-2. Their last game was a 9-1 loss on the road at Essex County College. In that contest, the Wolverines rocketed out to a 6-0 lead, scoring four goals in the first half, and a fifth goal early in the second to really deflate the young Falcons. Lackawanna got a goal back from Sebastian Carmona (Scranton, PA) in the second half that made it 6-1, but Essex added three more to round out the scoring. Lackawanna had no answer on defense.
 
Through two games, Lackawanna has faced 64 shots, 39 on target, while only mustering nine shots of its own. Opponents have 13 corner kicks to just one for the Falcons this season through two contests.
 
Carmona is one of the top scorers from last year's squad, where he had nine goals for the Falcons in 12 appearances. Carmona also had a pair of assists. The forward really didn't get going until his eighth appearance, scoring a hattrick in a win against Union. Carmona scored at least a goal in his last five regular season contests, and had another hattrick, scoring three in a 7-1 at PSU Schuylkill. So far this season, he has two goals, one in each game against Monroe CC and Essex County College.
 
Another player expected to step up for the Falcons is returning Region XIX Player of the Year, Guillermo Ramírez (Valencia, Venezuela). Ramírez had four goals and an assist last season and was the main player that held down the quality midfield for the Falcons a year ago.
 
Also back is sophomore Ermir Hoti (Gjakova, Kosovo), who led last year's team with ten goals and four assists. Hoti was a dead ball striker extraordinaire, managing most of the free kick and corner kick opportunities for the Falcons. His best game came against Elmira College JV, where he scored four goals a year ago.
 
Pepsin had a goal and three assists last season. He'll switch to more of a hybrid role as a winger/midfielder for the Falcons this season. His venture down the left side of the pitch and subsequent cross led to the Carmona goal against Monroe CC.
 
Sophomore Sebastian Charles (Bethesda, MD) played sparingly last year, due to injury, but the big guy will man the middle of the defense is back for the Falcons, healthy and ready to roll. Charles isn't the only one coming back from injury, as the Falcons will also have the services of defender Jordan Artmont (Dallas, PA), who missed all last season with injury, and is healthy for the Falcons.
 
In goal, Aldo Vargas (Scranton, PA) returns for the Falcons. He has 26 saves through his first two games, facing heavy pressure from the opposition. Vargas played sparingly last season as keeper and will be stepping into a starting role for the Lackawanna this year.
 
The interim head coach is Danny Berg, who is also the Coordinator of Athletic Operations and Fundraising for Lackawanna College Athletics. Berg has been with the College for nearly 20 years, and was hired as the first-ever women's soccer coach in the mid 2000's. On top of his duties with the Falcons, Berg spent a few seasons as the head boys and girls soccer coach at Valley View HS.
 
About Union College
Union (3-6-2) was in a bit of a rut, winless in five straight matches, before knocking off Morris at home this past Tuesday. The Owls scored eight goals in an 8-1 thrashing of the Titans earlier this week. Union had 16 shots on target, 22 overall, and had seven separate goal scorers on the night. As far as common opponents go, Union lost 8-1 to Essex County College last month. Essex beat Lackawanna 9-1 last month.
 
So far this year, Union has scored 26 goals in eleven matches, a 2.36 goals per game average. They have given up 2.09 goals per game this year. The Owls have a balanced offense, with 12 different players having scored so far this season. Union has one clean sheet this season, a 12-0 victory over Atlantic Cape back on September 12^th. The Owls have been shut out twice this year, coming in back-to-back games with Camden County (6-0) and Bergen CC (1-0).
 
Two players each have four goals to lead the Owls this year. First-year striker Pablo Corte has four goals, and was one of the goals scored this past Tuesday against Morris. He had two goals in the win against Atlantic Cape.
 
Another forward, sophomore Jayson Freeman, has four goals and an assist this year. Freeman also had two goals in the win against Atlantic Cape. He had the lone goal in the loss to Essex. His assist came in a 2-1 win against Brookdale CC back on September 3^rd.
 
Defender Enrique Disessa has two goals and a team-high two assists this season. He scored a goal and had an assist against Morris on Tuesday. He scored a goal against Atlantic Cape and had another assist in the draw with RCSJ Cumberland on September 14^th.
 
Sophomore forward Theo Hamadallah has two goals and an assist this season, scoring a pair of goals in the Atlantic Cape victory. His assist came earlier this week against Morris.
 
Sophomore forward Yerlyn Reyes has two goals and a helper this year. Reyes registered an assist in the loss to Essex but scored both his goals on Tuesday in the win against Morris.
 
The net has mostly been by committee this season for the Owls, with three different keepers seeing time. Marvin Guerrero has been the player playing most lately, seeing time against Essex, Georgian Court, Gloucester, and getting the start and the win against Morris this past Tuesday. Tomas Velasquez Ospina started the first handful of games for Union this year, and Danny Lopez saw time in the middle parts of the season.
 
The head coach for Union is Region XIX alum Salah Saadaoui. Saadaoui played his college ball at County College of Morris in the late aughts, winning a pair of Region XIX championships and finishing third in the national rankings. He played professional futsal in Bosnia in 2011 in a national tournament, then played for the American Polish team at the Olympiad Wroclaw later that year. After a brief stint in Germany chasing a professional career, Saadaoui returned to the states and coached youth soccer, eventually leading his old club, Warren United Soccer Club, where he works with young student-athletes on their skills for the game, as well as their growth outside of soccer.
 
The Matchup
The match between Lackawanna and Union is set for a 6:00pm ET start on Thursday, October 3^rd, in Clark, NJ at Oak Ridge Park. There will be a video livestream available via the Union Owls Athletics YouTube Channel, linked directly HERE.
 
Lackawanna gets right back to action on Saturday, October 5^th, when the Falcons return home for a local rivalry matchup with Northampton CC. Kickoff is set for 2:00pm ET and the game is the second of a doubleheader, following the women's soccer contest between Lackawanna and Essex. The site will be Schautz Stadium in Dunmore.