THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime Men's Soccer team was back home on Reinhart Field on Monday evening and stormed to a non-conference victory over the Berkeley (N.Y.) Knights by a 5-2 score.
 
Leading the way for Maritime was freshman Anthony Sblendorio (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore), who recorded two goals and one assist in his first career game in the field. Freshman Aleks Olthoff-Cusumano (Eastport, N.Y./Eastport-South Manor) picked up the first goal of his career on assists by sophomore Parker Gallt (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) and senior John Nothacker (Philadelphia, Pa./Homeschooled).
 
Senior Kevin Ferreira (Centereach, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) scored his third goal of the season, while classmate Kieran Donnelly (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) registered his first of the year off of Sblendorio's assist.
 
In goal, freshman goalkeeper Michael Rodriguez (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) had a total of three saves as he allowed one of Berkeley's two goals through the initial 71:29 of the game. Sophomore Nick Schall (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) came on in the final 18:31 and made his first career save.
 
Maritime got on the board in the early going with Sblendorio making his debut on the field and tallying the opening marker at the 4:18 mark. The goal came off a deflection off the Berkeley goalkeeper, as Sblendorio drove the ball home.
 
A few minutes later Sblendorio scored again as he took a mid-air shot that was bouncing away from the goalkeeper, who made the initial touch on the ball.
 
Maritime added to its lead in the 30th minute, as Ferreira drove home a rebound after sophomore Lucas Antenucci (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem) had a shot that was blocked by the defense. Ferreira picked up the loose ball and drove it home to put the Privateers ahead by three.
 
The Privateers had a goal called off, due to an offensive foul in the box but came back minutes later to tally their fourth of the game. Olthoff-Cusumano recorded the first goal of his career as freshman Justin Forrest (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) threw the ball into play, Nothacker then passed to Gallt, who found Olthoff-Cusumano for the fourth Maritime goal of the game.
 
After the halftime break, the Knights got on the board first with a goal in the 50th minute to break up the shutout.
 
Maritime responded quickly as Donnelly collected his first goal of the year in the 53rd minute of play after a long lead pass from middle of the field, which Donnelly chipped over the goalkeeper's head to make the score 5-1 in favor of the Privateers.
 
Berkeley (N.Y.) scored once more in the 80th minute against Schall, who made his first career save just a few minutes early and punched out several crosses. However, that was all the scoring the Knights could muster on the night as Maritime came away with the victory.
 
Maritime (5-5-0, 1-2-0 Skyline) will return to league play on Wednesday evening with a 9:15 p.m. start against Yeshiva. The game will be taking place on Reinhart Field, however, Yeshiva will be serving as the home team.
 
Berkeley (N.Y.) (2-6-0, 2-1-0 HVIAC) will return to league play on Wednesday evening as well, when the Knights travel to take on the King's (N.Y.) Lions at 8:30 p.m. in Brooklyn, N.Y.