Release courtesy of ACPHS Athletics
Senior Zak Giorgi (Whitesboro, NY / Whitesboro High School) scored four goals, three in the first 21 minutes as the ACPHS Panthers beat Vaughn College 6-2 on Saturday night. It was the Panthers' third win in a row, and they are a league-best 4-1 in the HVIAC and 4-3 overall. Vaughn college fell to 1-1 in the league and overall.
The Panthers got after this one early, netting their first in just the 6th minute. Junior Mina Girgis (Canyon Country, CA / John Burroughs HS) held up play and fed the ball out on the left wing to freshman Austin Myers (Morrisonville, NY / Saranac High). Myers clipped the ball into the back post, and Giorgi rose above his defender to head the ball into the empty net.
Down 1-0, Vaughn had a chance to equalize just four minutes later when forward Denis Moshchenko got a shot just past junior goalkeeper Matt Houlihan (Levittown, NY / Kellenberg Memorial High School). The shot was bouncing towards the goal line when junior Kyle Jenkins (Holbrook, NY / Sachem East High School) cleared it away just before it crossed. Vaughn had another chance in the 16th minute when midfielder Jevoy James was released behind the ACPHS defense. He wasn't able to get his shot away though, as he was raced down by junior defenderJulian Hernandez (Haverstraw, NY / Albertus Mangus High School).
Giorgi gave the Panthers a two-goal cushion shortly thereafter when he was put behind the Warrior back line by sophomore Bryce Berchulski (Somersworth, NH / Somersworth High School). The senior forward used the outside of his boot to finish far-post beyond the outstretched dive of Vaughn keeper Hussein Saleh, and the Panthers were in control. His hat-trick was finished off in the 21st minute when Girgis was taken down in the box while bearing down on goal. Giorgi sent the keeper the wrong way for his third of the Panthers' three goals.
Vaughn was given hope before the half ended when Ali Saleh scored his first of the season to cut the deficit to 3-1. The Panthers got it right back after the break when Kyle Jenkins netted his second of the season off an assist from Girgis. Girgis would finally get on the scoresheet himself in the 54th minute when he rounded the keeper after a well-taken shot by Myers. Giorgi finished off his day in the 69th minute with his second penalty kick for his fourth goal, which doubled his total for the year to eight. Giorgi took the rest of the night off, while the Warriors added one more through Moshchenko to make the final 6-2. Houlihan made three saves in a little over 65 minutes to move to 4-3 and 4-1 in the league.
The Panthers are back home against Culinary Institute on Monday, September 26th at 6pm, looking for their fourth straight win. Vaughn plays their first home game against Davis on Wednesday, September 28th at 6:30pm.
