In just the second week of the NCAA men’s soccer season, a number of Sounders Academy products provided match-winning performances. Additionally, several fixtures featured collegiate teams with Sounders youth system standouts on both squads.
Freshman attacker Handwalla Bwana played a decisive role in consecutive wins for the University of Washington. Despite being denied twice in the second half by the Saint Mary’s goalkeeper on Sept. 1, the dynamic forward would score the game winner in the 86th minute. After receiving a pass inside the box, Bwana evaded a challenge and fired his shot into the top corner for a 2-1 win in Moraga, Calif.
Handwalla Bwana's Game Winning Goal at St. Mary's #NewHeightshttps://t.co/pllZ7PFkwD
— UW Men's Soccer (@UW_MSoccer) September 2, 2016
In UW’s next game against Oral Roberts on Sunday, Bwana and goalkeeper Seif Kerawala each set up goals in the second half. Bwana assisted the third and decisive goal when he skipped past two defenders with some crafty footwork before firing a pass into the feet of Mason Robertson who duly slotted home.
On top of recording four saves in his first start for the Huskies, Kerawala set up the fourth and final goal in the 4-2 win when his precise goal kick found Robertson in space, and he assisted Kyle Coffee.
Junior striker Satoshi “Yoshi” Chaffin also scored his first career goal in a man-of-the-match performance for Santa Clara against Cal State Fullerton on Sunday. Chaffin opened the scoring in the first half when he received the ball in the left channel, beat his defender with a nice change of pace, and fired home into the far post.
The crafty winger once again showcased his guile on the ball when he set up the winner in the 84th minute. Chaffin beat his defender to the byline and drove the ball toward the top of the six for his teammate to slot home, earning the Broncos a crucial 2-1 win.
Freshman striker Maliq Cooper also registered a goal and an assist in a 2-1 victory for UNLV over UC Riverside on Sunday. Cooper was credited with an assist on the opening goal in the 41st minute when his slipped pass down the right channel set up the cross and a first-time finish to the near post. On the other side of half time, the young striker made an instinctive run to ghost past his defender and fire home a volley for the game-winner in the 48th minute, earning him Player of the Game honors.
Seattle University squared off against in-state rivals Gonzaga University on Sunday in Spokane in a thrilling 4-2 victory for the host Bulldogs. Striker David Olsen, goalkeeper RJ Noll, as well as defenders Kyle Bjornethun and Sam Langston suited up for the Redhawks against fellow Sounders Academy alums Davis Behnke , Denis Kalamar and goalkeeper Ben Willis on Gonzaga.
Behnke went the full 90 in defense for Gonzaga, while Kalamar handed the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead in just the 25th minute. Kalamar made a darting run in behind the defense to latch onto a 40-yard pass over top before squaring for teammate Graison Le, who fired home from just outside the box. Kalamar then scored the second minutes later when he blocked an attempted clearance from Noll into the net for his second goal of the season.
On Monday evening, a pair of Sounders Academy products featured in a matchup between two top 10 programs. Junior striker Seyi Adekoya represented the No. 9 UCLA Bruins, while freshman defender Nick Hinds earned his second start and went the full 90 minutes for No. 1 ranked Akron University.
Adekoya opened the scoring for the Bruins in the 6-1 rout with an emphatic goal in the 21st minute. The Lakeside High School alum timed his run to perfection to latch onto the through ball in the box, and subsequently curled his shot to the far post top corner for his first goal of the season. A landslide of three goals in 32 seconds in the second half allowed UCLA to pull away, although Hinds could not be faulted for any of the clinical strikes.
