ITHACA, N.Y. – Senior forward Kevin Kozic (Raritan, N.J./Immaculata) had two goals and an assist to lead The University of Scranton men’s soccer team to a 3-1 victory at Ithaca on Tuesday afternoon at Carp Wood Field.

Kozic scored twice in the first half and added an assist in the second half for a career-high five points. Sophomore midfielder James Caulfield (Pennington, N.J./Hopewell Valley) had the other goal for the Royals (5-2-1), who snapped a two-game scoreless streak in the victory.

The Royals jumped ahead in the 21st minute when Kozic took a pass from senior midfielder Rich Loeffler (Matawan, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) and got free down the left side and beat the Ithaca keeper for a 1-0 lead.

After Ithaca (1-5-1) tied the game in the 25th minute, Kozic put Scranton back ahead in the 31st minute when took a feed from freshman forward A.J. Nardone (Dallas, Pa./Dallas) and scored from the top of the box for his fourth goal of the season.

Scranton carried the 2-1 lead into halftime before Caulfield provided the insurance goal in the 62nd minute. He took a pass in the box from Kozic and deposited a shot in the right side of the goal for his first tally in a Scranton uniform.

Loeffler’s assist was his second of the season and seventh of his career, while Nardone picked up his second assist of the season.

Each team had nine shots in the match, with Scranton holding a 7-5 advantage in shots on goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Colin Homola (Massapequa, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) had three second-half saves and fellow sophomore goalkeeper Eric Hintz (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor) made one in the first half in the victory. Kozic was the only Royal with multiple shots in the match, finishing with four.

Scranton also held a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks.

The Royals return to action on Saturday, Sept. 27, when they open Landmark Conference play on the road against Susquehanna at 1 p.m. in Selinsgrove, Pa.

--ROYALS--