10/4/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College men's soccer is back to action just 48 hours after a weeknight game, as the Falcons will host Northampton CC on Saturday, October 5^th, at Schautz Stadium in Dunmore. Kickoff is set for 2:00pm ET, and the match is the second of a doubleheader at the field, with the women's soccer team hosting Essex County College first at 12:00pm ET.
 
Admission is free and open to the public at Schautz Stadium, and there will also be a pay-per-view video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (0-3-0) has struggled to get on track so far this season, dropping its first three matches by a combined score of 18-4. Their last game was this past Thursday at Union College (NJ), a 5-2 setback on the road. In that match, Union scored inside the first five minutes, turning the Falcons over on the right side, then driving a cross to the center, where Lackawanna fumbled it free, and the Owls pounced. Lackawanna managed to equalize on a set piece on the edge of the box in the 33^rd minute, but Union snagged another goal just before halftime in the 43^rd minute to take a 2-1 lead, then scored three more in the second half to pull away. You can read the full recap HERE.
 
Through three games, Lackawanna has faced 81 shots, 50 on target, while putting up 27 shots of its own. Falcons' keepers have a combined 32 saves this year.
 
Sophomore striker Sebastian Carmona (Scranton, PA) 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. Ramírez has mostly played in his midfield spot, but he did a spell at keeper against Union in the first half on Thursday night.
 
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. This season, Hoti has a goal and an assist, both coming in Thursday night's loss to Union.
 
Sophomore Tyler Pepsin (Old Forge, PA) 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 Northampton CC
The Spartans (5-3-2) had lost their first game and then rattled off five-straight to start the season but have now gone winless in their last four matches. A pair of draws against Montco sandwiches a pair of losses to Sussex and Delaware County CC. The latest result happened on Thursday night, where Montco and Northampton battled to a scoreless draw in Bethlehem. Northampton outshot the Mustangs 12-to-5 and dominated possession but couldn't close out their scoring chances.
 
Northampton has scored 41 goals this season, averaging around four goals per game this year. The Spartans have 122 shots this season, and the defense has two clean sheets on the season.
 
First-year player Elijah Eljiofor leads the team with 13 goals and seven assists through ten games this season. Eljiofor has scored a goal in eight of ten games this year, including his first seven games to start the year. He has twice scored two or more goals in a game, with a season-best four goals and two assists coming against Lehigh Carbon CC back on September 17^th. Eljiofor has twice put up two assists, doing it in a 13-1 win against Harrisburg, and in the 9-0 win against Lehigh Carbon. He had a season-high six shots against Montco but could not get on the scoresheet.
 
Sophomore Gershon Bangura is second on the team with six goals and two assists this season. Bangura has two games with multiple goals, scoring two goals in wins against both Delaware County CC and Lehigh Carbon. He had a goal in a 2-2 draw with Montco, and another goal in the victory over Harrisburg last month. Bangura did not score and did not record a shot in the draw with Montco on Thursday night.
 
First-year midfielder Kaden Dowd has five goals and an assist on the season. Dowd had two goals in a 5-2 win over Delaware County back on September 14^th, and he scored one goal each in games against Harrisburg Area, Lehigh Carbon, and Sussex County CC. Dowd took a pair of shots in the draw with Montco.
 
First-year forward Wisdom Ntona has five goals and four assists this season. Ntona had a hattrick in the win against Harrisburg Area, while scoring a goal in the win against Raritan Valley and the loss to Delaware County CC, where he also had two assists. Ntona had four shots with nothing to show for it in the draw with Montco.
 
First-year keeper Omar Zatar has all five wins this season, allowing 18 goals in nine games with 26 saves. Zatar has two clean sheets and set his season-high for saves in the loss to Sussex back on September 26^th, stopping six shots. He had three saves in the scoreless draw with Montco on Thursday.
 
The head coach for Northampton is Mario Barrantes, now in his sixth season, and seventh year overall with Northampton. Coach Barrantes has coached the Spartans to a pair of EPAC championships and they have qualified for four straight Region XIX playoffs. He's a two-time EPAC Coach of the Year. Barrantes runs Advanced Sports Development, which is a sports performance and training center for high schools across four different counties in the Lehigh Valley. He's mentored five All-Region players in his time at Northampton. He played at MacMurray College and received a bachelor's degree from Penn State in 2004. He holds a 43-33-6 record in his time at Northampton.
 
The Matchup
The match between Lackawanna and Northampton is set for a 2:00pm ET start on Saturday, October 5^th, from Schautz Stadium in Dunmore. The game is he second of a doubleheader, with the women's team taking on Essex County College first at 12:00pm ET. There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE.
 
Lackawanna gets back to work on Wednesday, October 9^th, when the Falcons travel to Bryn Mawr, PA to take on Region XIX Division I opponent Harcum College. That match will be a 1:00pm ET start, and will be the first of a doubleheader, with the women's teams playing at 3:00pm ET.