Box Score Lafayette Hill, Pa. - (9/30/2015) – Wilmington University justified its lofty regional ranking this evening, storming to a 6-1 defeat of the Chestnut Hill College men's soccer team on a dreary, rain-soaked affair at Victory Field #1. A free-kick goal by junior defender Nils Fussen (Aachen, Germany) at the 83:55 mark saved the Griffins from a shutout as the Wildcats stayed perfect in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) play.
 
Wilmington University (7-1, 5-0), slotted fifth in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) East Region poll, outshot Chestnut Hill College (3-4-2, 2-2-2) by a somewhat modest 18-10 count, but the high-powered Wildcats were deadly when they did take aim on net. Junior midfielder Juan Bernal (Mississauga, Ontario) started the parade just 8:58 in, taking a cross from the left and directing a low blast into the left corner of the net for an early 1-0 edge.
 
Chestnut Hill College had defeated a nationally ranked Wilmington University squad each of the last two years, but there was no magic to be found this time. Winners of four straight, the Wildcats doubled their margin on a dazzling strike by junior midfielder Clifford Nwechefom (Port Harcourt, Nigeria), who pounced on a back pass and juked his way through the box for an open shot and a 2-0 lead (34:51). The halftime break did little to dull Wilmington University's edge; the visitors tacked on tallies from senior midfielder Lance Berry (Bear, Del.) (48:53), sophomore defender Alex Luke (Hockessin, Del.) (66:03), and junior forward Steven O'Connor (Hertfordshire, England) (70:55) before Fussen broke up the clean sheet with a well-placed free kick from just outside the box on the left side, 5-1. Wildcat sophomore forward Adam Pinder (Bear, Del.) closed the books with a breakaway goal at 87:39.
 
Nwechefom finished with a goal and an assist for first-place Wilmington University, which also held a 9-5 advantage in corner kicks. The Wildcats' 18 shots were spread amongst 11 players, led by four from Berry. Senior goalkeeper Frank Hall (Newark, Del.) collected four saves to improve to 7-1 on the season.
 
Senior midfielder Nicholas Jaffe (Sao Paulo, Brazil) again led the Chestnut Hill College attack with four shots, and junior forward Emmanuel Egbosimbah (Philadelphia, Pa.) added three. Both nearly scored in the 60^th minute, but Jaffé's scorching shot was saved by Hall and a Wildcat defender cleared Egbosimbah's rebound effort off the line. Fussen recorded a pair of shots and notched his second goal of the season and fourth of his career. Junior goaltender James Jackson (Sewell, N.J.) (3-3-2) made four saves before giving way to classmate Miguel Gonzalez-Escobar (Denver, Colo.) for the final 19:55.
 
Chestnut Hill College looks to regain its mojo with a 12:30 p.m. kickoff against Dominican College (NY) on Saturday, October 3.