Oct. 18, 2009

Box Score

Videos: Goal #1 - Lindroos | Goal #2 - Balicki | Goal #3 - Crooks | Goal #4 - Crooks

KINGSTON, R.I. - Senior Gary Crooks (Falkirk, Scotland) netted back-to-back goals in the second half, lifting the Rhode Island men's soccer team to a 4-1 win over Temple, Sunday afternoon at the URI Soccer Complex. The victory improved the Rams' record to 5-7-1 (2-2-0 Atlantic 10) and snapped a six-game win streak for the Owls, who had allowed just three goals in those last six outings.

With the game-time temperature in the high 30's, wind blowing and rain pouring down sideways, Rhode Island wasted little time taking control as freshman Thomas Lindroos (Espoo, Finland) netted his first career goal at the 2:43 mark. Junior Michael Tanke (Niles, Mich.) picked up his second assist in as many games when he touched the ball around a pair of Temple defenders and sent it wide to sophomore Greg Balicki (Wilbraham, Mass.). Balicki then played a cross to the front of the goal where Lindroos one-timed a sliding shot past TU's Bret Mollen for the 1-0 lead.

Balicki followed with a goal of his own about 13 minutes later when he blasted a free kick through a wall of Temple defenders and into the back of the net to put Rhody in front, 2-0.

Temple (7-4-1, 2-1-0) cut URI's lead in half on a Tyler Witmer goal in the 29th minute, but that was as close as the Owls would get as Rhody scored twice in the first eight minutes of the second half to put the game out of reach.

Crooks' first goal came at the 49:00 minute mark when senior Domenic Petrarca (Providence, R.I.) collected a throw in by freshman Robby Gargaro (Naperville, Ill.) and maneuvered around a pair of Temple defenders before finding Crooks at the top of the box. Crooks then sent a shot past Mollen to make it a 3-1 game.

Three and a half minutes later, Crooks struck again - this time on a set piece that he curled over six Temple defenders and into the upper right 90 for his fourth goal of the season.

Senior Chris Pennock (Spennymoor, England) finished the day with three saves in net for the Rams to earn the win. Mollon - who was responsible for all four Rhody goals - took the loss while Temple's backup keeper, Bryant Hosler, turned away three URI shots over the final 21:10 of play.

As a team, URI outshout Temple, 28-5, and held a 3-0 advantage in corner kicks.

The Rams return to action on Saturday, Oct. 24, when they travel to UMass for a 1 p.m. match against the Minutemen (5-4-3, 2-2-0).