Men's Soccer | 10/26/2019 11:57:00 AM
Brentwood, N.Y. | After a heart-stopping finish two seasons ago at Pier 40, BMCC and Suffolk County Community duke it out again in the 2019 Region XV Tournament semifinals on Saturday afternoon, at 1 p.m. in Brentwood, N.Y. It will be the fourth ever postseason meeting between the Panthers and Sharks, and the third time that both teams will meet in the Regional semifinals. The only other time these two programs matched up during the postseason was in the 2012 Regional Final.
Making The Trip To Seldon To Attend?
If you are making the trip down to Seldon, New York, for the 2019 NJCAA Semifinals, please note that there is no admission fee for the game on Tuesday Night. For more information, go to the BMCC Men's Men's Soccer Schedule Page.
Sensational Seydou
Freshman midfielder Seydou Diallo (Brooklyn, New York) instantly filled the scoring void left by the BMCC's all-time leading goal scorer Javaughie Johnson. Earlier this week, Diallo was selected First Team All-Region and earned CUNYAC Athlete of the Year last week. He scored a team-best 11 goals and led the Panthers with 26 points, while his four assists were good for second on the team. He also twinkled the twine in nine of 13 matches Panthers, while recording three multi-goal games on the season, including a hat-trick in the 2019 CUNYAC Community Men's Men's Soccer Championship.
Going the Distance
All four postseason meetings between BMCC and Suffolk County Community College have gone into overtime, with three ending in penalty kicks and the Sharks coming away victorious each time.
In the last meeting, BMCC rallied from down 2-0 to tie it up at the end of regulation and dominated the shots in overtime, before having their perfect season ruined in Penalty kicks. After derailing the Panther's chances at an NJCAA national title game in PKS during 2012, the Sharks followed it up with a double-overtime victory in 2013.
Winning Close Games
BMCC goes into Saturday's matchup against Suffolk with a 4-2 record in one-goal games this year, with wins in their last three, including back-to-back victories over Queensborough by the same result in the conference title and Regional first round last week (5-4 and 1-0).
Closer Look At The Teams
Suffolk Community College- Record: 11-6-2 (7-2-1 Region XV) – Roster - Schedule - Stats
BMCC Panthers- Record: 9-2-2 (6-2-2 Region XV) – Roster - Schedule - Stats
How They Got Here
Suffolk Community College earned the second seed in Region XV after posting a 7-2-1 mark. The Sharks shutout six regional opponents in seven of their victories, while defeating Monroe College 3-1 on October 15th. Their only two losses came against Nassau and Westchester while tying BMCC back on October 10th.
BMCC finished as the third seen in Region XV after going 6-2-2 in league play. The Panthers rallied from three goals down to defeat Bronx Community College, 4-3, blew out Orange County Community College and Rockland Community College by a combined score of 19-0, before winning 4-0 and 4-1 on the road against Kingsborough and Dutchess. BMCC defeated Westchester C.C. 2-1 in overtime while tying with Monroe College and Suffolk C.C and losing to Queensborough and Nassau Community College.
Meeting Suffolk County Community College
Head Coach Keith Ginsberg has guided the Sharks into the semifinals for a second consecutive season, and the Program has consistently posted ten or wins each season, including 21 victories in 2014.
Suffolk had four different players receive Regional postseason awards. The Sharks possess a lethal offense responsible for 64 goals this season, ranked 12th in the NJCAA, with 12 players with two or more goals and eight players with three or more goals.
Freshman forward Emmanuel Kwansah, a First-Team All-Region XV selection, spearheads this offense with a team-high 12 goals and is third on the team with five assists. Classmate Olvin Yanes is the straw that stirs the drink on offense, the First-Team All-Region XV midfielder is the leader with 15 assists and 33 points, while his nine goals are tied for second. Sophomore Kimani Clarke is tied for second with nine goals and is tied third with 18 points.
Matt Bogashewicz has dished out ten assists, third on the team, and recorded 18 points, tied for third. Jevoun McKellar, First-Team All-Region Honorable Mention midfielder, was tied for third with five assists to go along with nine points and two goals. Sophomore Devin Luper was selected Second-Team All-Region, starting 15 of 16 games this season.
Sophomore defender Gio Fiore leads the Sharks on defense with 16 starts and 17 games, while freshman Kyle Martinez and Bryan Romero have provided stability in net. Martinez led the team in (1.44) goals against, (46) saves, (.767) save percentage, and (8)wins. Romero is 4-2 with 2.00 goals against and 23 saves in nine starts.
Meeting BMCC
Sixth-year head coach Modou Seck has guided the Panthers to the Regional Tournament for a sixth-straight season.
BMCC enters the 2019 Region XV semifinals with a dynamic offense, leading the conference with 49 goals, with 15 different goal scorers and eight players with three or more goals. They have recorded four or more goals in seven games this season.
The Panthers dominated the Regional postseason awards this season as five players received All-Region honors. BMCC's offense is led by Diallo, 2019 First-Team All-Region, who is tops on the team in goals with 11 and points with 26. Diallo was also second on the team with four assists. His brother Djiby Diallo (New York, New York), another 2019 First-Team All-Region selection, is tied second in goals with five and third in points with 11 points. Dijiby recorded two tallies twice this year in the opener against Regional opponent Monroe College and non-conference opponent Rockland. He also provided the tying marker in the Panthers 2-1 overtime road win against Westchester.
Freshman Midfielder Michael Konadu (Kwahu, Ghana), a Second Team All-Region selection, makes the Panther offense go with a team-best five assists. Classmate Elhadji Ady Gaye (Dakar, Senegal) has also buried five goals, tied for second, with his only game-winner coming against Bronx C.C.
Sophomore Rajay Officer (Portmore, Jamaica) scored the game-winning goal in the Panthers Regional win last weekend and is tied third with sophomore Hugo Sauriat (New York, New York) with four goals apiece.
Defensively, the Panthers are led by sophomore Otto Manuel Sabalza (Brooklyn, New York), All-Region Honorable Mention, who has started 11 of their 13 games this year. Freshman goalie Apelete Amehon (Kara, Togo (West Africa) has been outstanding in the net in his first year with the Panthers. He has backstopped the BMCC defense with a team-best in goals-against average (1.00), saves (28), and shutouts (4) while posting a 7-1-1 record.
Recent Meeting-
In their only head-to-head this year, BMCC and Suffolk Community College played to a 1-1 tied back on October 10th due to darkness. The Panthers outshot the Sharks 13-6, including 9-2 in the 2nd Half.
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