Le Moyne Rallies Past St. Bonaventure 2-1 Behind Andrew Piccolo's Match-Winner
Dolphins overcome early deficit with second-half heroics to triumph at home
SYRACUSE, NY – Le Moyne overcame an early deficit to dispatch St. Bonaventure 2-1 in a thrilling encounter that showcased the resilience and attacking prowess of the home side. Andrew Piccolo's unassisted strike in the 69th minute proved to be the decisive moment as the Dolphins emerged victorious in dramatic fashion.
The Bonnies struck first through Gabriel Addo's expertly placed header in the 11th minute, capitalizing on excellent service from Dean Mercer. The midfielder's precision cross found Addo unmarked in the box, and the forward hammered home a header into the high right corner to give St. Bonaventure the advantage.
Le Moyne's response came just after the midway point of the first half when Francesco Pagano leveled proceedings with a clinical right-footed finish. Rhys Allport's incisive play created the opportunity, and Pagano tucked away his chance low into the right corner at 23:43 to restore parity. The Italian forward had been Le Moyne's most threatening presence throughout the opening period, registering four shots and consistently troubling the Bonnies' backline.
The match transformed into a tactical chess match in the second half, with both sides making wholesale changes to inject fresh energy into their lineups. Le Moyne introduced Andrew Piccolo at the interval, a substitution that would prove instrumental in deciding the contest's outcome.
Piccolo's moment arrived with just over 20 minutes remaining. The defender found himself in an advanced position and rifled a right-footed effort past Felix Schöne into the bottom right corner, completing Le Moyne's comeback in spectacular fashion. The unassisted goal showcased Piccolo's composure under pressure and his ability to contribute in the final third despite his defensive responsibilities.
St. Bonaventure goalkeeper Schöne kept his side competitive throughout the afternoon with a series of crucial interventions. The German shot-stopper made six saves, including several spectacular stops in the second half as Le Moyne ramped up the pressure. His reflexes denied Le Moyne on multiple occasions, particularly during a frantic sequence in the 62nd minute when the hosts threatened to extend their advantage.
The statistical narrative told the story of Le Moyne's growing dominance as the match progressed. The Dolphins outshot their visitors 15-12 and registered seven shots on target compared to St. Bonaventure's five. Le Moyne's corner kick advantage of 5-3 reflected their territorial superiority, particularly in the second half when they pinned the Bonnies deep in their own half.
Dean Mercer orchestrated much of St. Bonaventure's creative play from midfield, contributing the assist for the opening goal while also testing Le Moyne's defense with two shots of his own. His 79-minute performance demonstrated his importance to the Bonnies' attacking structure, though his efforts ultimately fell short of preventing the comeback.
The closing stages saw St. Bonaventure desperately searching for an equalizer, with Callum Shillington and Mercer both firing efforts that were either blocked or sailed wide of the target. Le Moyne's defensive organization held firm under late pressure, with goalkeeper Wyatt Dupell making four saves to preserve the victory.
Le Moyne's triumph was built on their ability to maintain attacking intensity throughout the 90 minutes, with 15 different players seeing action as tactical adjustments paid dividends. The Dolphins' depth and tactical flexibility proved crucial in overturning the early deficit and claiming all three points in front of their home supporters.
Key Players
- Francesco Pagano (Le Moyne) - Fired four shots including the crucial equalizer, consistently threatened St. Bonaventure's defense with pace and movement - Andrew Piccolo (Le Moyne) - Provided the match-winning goal with a composed right-footed finish, demonstrated attacking threat from defensive position - Felix Schöne (St. Bonaventure) - Made six saves to keep the Bonnies competitive, produced several spectacular stops to deny Le Moyne's attacking threats