Delahunt Paces REDS In Win
(FREDERICTON, NB) Second-year striker Hunter Delahunt (Boundary Creek, NB) scored twice to lead the UNB REDS in a 4-0 win over the visiting UPEI Panthers in Atlantic University Sport men's soccer action, Saturday at UNB's BMO Centre.
"It's a turnaround," said Delahunt, named the Tim Horton's Player of the Game. "We had a couple ups and downs and now that we have this win, it's only up from here. We're shooting for a playoff spot and playoffs are at home, so we gotta go big."
The home team opened the scoring just two minutes in when Stefano D'Ambrogio (Toronto, ON) fired a hard shot from distance that beat Panthers' keeper Isaac Wolters (North Wiltshire, PE).
Delahunt's first came in the 34th minute, a tremendous back door tap of a Luke Rosettani (Ottawa, ON) cross.
"Me and Luke have been setting that up a lot in practice and its instinct now," Delahunt said. "If Luke goes out wide, I'm going to be back post."
His second, just 28 seconds into the second half, also came off a Rosettani crossing play.
Rosettani made it a 4-0 game with an off-balance, highlight reel goal of his own in the 67th minute and the REDS held on for the shut-out victory.
"There are no words to describe it," said Delahunt, of his first goals in the AUS. "It's that sensation, it's one thing I've been striving for and the team's definitely been wanting me to score for a while now, so now that it's my second year it's time to step up."
Mahmoud Moustafa (Stratford, PE) earned the clean sheet in the UNB net.
With the win the REDS are now 2-4-1 (W-L-T) and hold down sixth place in the AUS standings. They travel to Acadia and Dalhousie next weekend.
The Panthers are now 1-4-1 and return to action Sunday when they visit the Mount Allison Mounties.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Fran Harris/for UNB Athletics)