Larry Levanti Photography
8
Winner Kean KU (1-0-0, 0-0-0)
1
Saint Elizabeth SEU (0-1-0, 0-0-0)
Winner
Kean KU
(1-0-0, 0-0-0)
8
Final
1
Saint Elizabeth SEU
(0-1-0, 0-0-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Kean KU 2 6 8
Saint Elizabeth SEU 0 1 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Men's Soccer Cruises to 8-1 Win Over Saint Elizabeth

MORRISTOWN, N.J. - The Kean University Cougars opened its 2026 campaign with a statement 8-1 win over Saint Elizabeth on Tuesday, September 1. 

The Cougars (1-0) fired off 23 shots and put 18 on frame with eight finding the back of the net. Matthew Sarfo paced the Cougars with four shots, with all four hitting the mark and one finding the back of the net. Juan Orozco got the start between the pipes for the Cougars and played 70 minutes while making four saves. Christian Rua and Dariel Mejia led the team with two goals each while Mejia added an assist. 

The Eagles (0-1) tallied 12 shots as a team and three corners. In net, Andrew Gonzalez was under constant siege and made 10 saves in the loss. 

Kean wasted no time putting the opening tally on the board as Thomas Cortes quickly found the back of the net in the first two minutes of the game. Alexander Dos Santos and Matthew Moya followed with shots in the 11th and 14th minute with Moya's attempt forcing a save. As the half wore on, the Cougars continued to test Gonzalez in goal but couldn't find their second marker of the game until the 43rd minute. Mejia scored his first of two goals on an unassisted goal to double Kean's tally and give them a 2-0 lead into the break. 

The second half is where the floodgates opened as Kean poured in six goals to aid its 8-1 win. Rua netted his first goal of the season in the 58th minute off of a pass from Matias Maximiliano Albarracin. Just three minutes later Allan Palma Romero bumped Kean's goal total to four when Mejia slotted a pass to him for his first tally of the season. Three more goals found the back of the net in a hurry, as Mejia secured his brace in the 73rd followed by goals from Sarfo and Juan Arboleda with assists coming from Palma Romero and Yasser Aglaguel. Kean wasn't done scoring as Rua, like Mejia, collected his brace in the 86th minute to close the scoring for the Cougars. 

Saint Elizabeth opened its 2026 scoring ledger in the final minute of the game, when Tugay Bozogluer found the back of the net to prevent the shutout. 

Up Next:
The Cougars return to action on Friday, September 4 when they take on Batten University in Virginia Beach, VA at 5:00 pm. 
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