Senior midfielder Bill McGuiness (Forty Fort, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) has made a habit of scoring big goals during his career. On Saturday afternoon, that trait was on full display.

McGuiness scored twice – once in the first half and once in the second – to lift The University of Scranton men’s soccer team to a 2-1 victory over St. John Fisher at Fitzpatrick Field. McGuiness, who was a third-team All-American last season, now has eight game-winning goals in his career.

The victory was the first for Scranton (1-0-2), which opened the season with a pair of draws last weekend. The Royals have outshot their opponents in all three matches they’ve played, including 28-12 in this one.

It didn’t take long for McGuiness to put Scranton on the board. After the Royals drew a foul in the seventh minute, he drilled home the direct kick for an early lead.

St. John Fisher tied the match in the 24th minute on a penalty shot after a handball in the box, and the teams went into halftime tied at 1.

With the intensity escalating in the second half, McGuiness again came through on a beautifully executed set piece. Freshman defender Pat Codispoti (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Chaminade) took a direct kick from midfield and served the ball into the box, where junior forward Kevin Kozic (Raritan, N.J./Immaculata) headed it across the front of the goal to a streaking McGuiness, who flicked it in for the go-ahead goal.

The two goals give McGuiness three on the season and 19 for his career, and put him over the 50-point plateau for his career with 51 (19 goals, 13 assists).

Freshman goalkeeper Eric Hintz (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor) had four saves for his first career victory. Senior goalkeeper Kyle Metcalfe (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) had eight saves for St. John Fisher (2-2).

The Royals are now 2-1 all-time against St. John Fisher.

Scranton is back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 11, when it travels to Collegeville, Pa. to take on Ursinus at 7:30 p.m.

--ROYALS--