Early Goals Push Pirates to 3-0 Victory Over Air Force

Sunday, August 27

South Orange, NJ

6:56 PM

Seton Hall University

2-0-0, 0-0-0

Air Force

0-2-0, 0-0-0

Air Force

Seton Hall

Early Goals Push Pirates to 3-0 Victory Over Air Force

8/27/2023 10:23:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

South Orange, N.J. – The Pirates improved to 2-0 on the young season with another solid all-around performance on Sunday night as part of a 3-0 victory over Air Force. James Boote (Southampton, England) scored and recorded an assist while JARED SMITH tallied a pair of helpers in front of Mats Roorda (Groningen, Netherlands), who notched his second straight shutout.

How it Happened
The Pirates got things started early, as Boote sent in a cross from the right of the penalty area in the ninth minute. After the pass deflected off of Smith, Tim Strobeck (Hasselholm, Sweden) sent one past the Air Force keeper and into the back of the net to open the scoring.

9' | GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL

Tim Strobeck scores just nine minutes into his Pirates career to give us the early lead!#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/2fvEu9DtsE
— Seton Hall Men's Soccer (@SHUMSOC) August 27, 2023

Just over a minute later, The Hall would record its second tally of the night. Andrea Borg (Sliema, Malta) was taken down just inside the penalty box, and the graduate would step up and bury the penalty kick to double the Seton Hall lead.

10' | ANOTHER ONE.

WHAT A START.

After a handball in the box, Andrea Borg buries the PK for his first tally of the season! #HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/VyLefm9SQ2
— Seton Hall Men's Soccer (@SHUMSOC) August 27, 2023

The Falcons looked to respond just a few minutes later, but Roorda stood up to the challenge in goal. With Air Force threatening in the attacking third, a blistering shot from Remi Smith looked ticketed for goal. Roorda reacted quickly, getting both hands up to deflect the ball over the crossbar and out of danger.

14' | MATS SAYS NO.

Mats Roorda keeps the lead at two with this save off a rocket from just inside the box.#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/cBBxNRkrBi
— Seton Hall Men's Soccer (@SHUMSOC) August 27, 2023

Midway through the second half, the Pirates would salt the game away with a third goal. Smith swung in a corner kick from the near side, which trickled over to Sam Bjork (Huskvarna, Sweden) in open space. Bjork passed it back to Boote at the edge of the box, who stepped into a shot that found the near post to give the captain his second goal in as many matches.

65' | BOOTE WITH THE BOOTE.

Two games, two goals for the captain. James Boote fires one home to give us a 3-0 lead!#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/fyXFJ9O7zg
— Seton Hall Men's Soccer (@SHUMSOC) August 28, 2023

News & Notes

The Pirates have opened the season with back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2005, when they had clean sheets against each of their first three foes. The second of those three consecutive shutouts also came against Air Force.
The Pirates improve to 3-0 all-time against Air Force and have outscored the Falcons 11-1 over those meetings.
Boote has scored goals in back-to-back matches after tallying just one goal over his first 65 career games.
Boote posted a multi-point effort for the first time since notching two assists in the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals against Marquette on Apr. 15, 2021.
Strobeck' goal comes in his first match as a Pirate after transferring from Clemson.
Smith picked up his first two points as a Pirate.
Tyler Fernandes (Harrison, N.J.), Diego Fernandez (Landing, N.J.) and Olivier Karbownik (Maplewood, N.J.) each made their first collegiate appearances.

Up Next
The Pirates will hit the road for Labor Day weekend as they travel to Bloomington, Ind. to take part in the IU Classic. The Hall will take on Ohio State on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m.