PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – A pair of second half goals, both off corner kicks, lifted the University of Rochester men's soccer team to a 2-1 midweek victory over visiting Nazareth University on Wednesday evening at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
 
The UR goals were both scored by defenders, as senior Jeremiah Anandarajah and junior Kol Bassuk found the back of the net on two of UR's nine corner kicks in the game. Sophomore Milos Bisenic recorded the assist on both goals.
 
Rochester moves to 6-2-2 with the victory, while Nazareth drops its second game of the season, seeing its record drop to 5-2-2 overall.
 
The game wraps up Rochester's non-conference slate, as the remaining seven games on the schedule are all University Athletic Association contests, starting with a home matchup against the University of Chicago on Saturday evening at Fauver Stadium.
 
On Wednesday, UR nearly got on the board in the games' opening 90 seconds. A back pass along the left wing to Nick Swanger allowed the fifth-year player to send a ball into the box where Johnny Makula perfectly played a back header pass to Gavin Fischer at the far post who easily tapped in a volley. The play was whistled for offsides though, keeping Rochester off the board in the early going.
 
A few minutes later, the 'Jackets earned a corner kick after an Alessio Cristianetti-Walker shot was blocked, but nothing came of the first set piece.
 
Nazareth's first attempt on net was a shot by Jake Pawlika at the 10-minute mark, but UR's defense stepped in front of it, not allowing the shot on frame.
 
Makula provided the next two chances for Rochester, with the first sailing wide in the 18th minute, and the second finding frame at 19:36, but Nazareth keeper Liam Brandt was there for the save.
 
At the half, Rochester led 6-3 in shots.
 
As play turned to the second half, both teams played a bit more pressure up front, forcing each team to surrendered multiple corners. Nazareth earned the first corner of the period just 67 seconds into the half, while UR tallied two in the 49th minute.
 
Rochester's third corner of the half turned into the first goal of the game. At 55:27, a Bisenic service from the corner sailed beyond the far post to Anandarajah who one-timed a shot from eight yards that just snuck inside the left post. The tally was the senior's second goal of the 2024 season and fourth of his career.
 
Nazareth nearly struck for the tying goal in the 62nd minute. A failed clearance by the Yellowjackets saw the ball find the foot of Michael Yates who ripped a low, skidding shot on frame. UR keeper Santino Lupica-Tondo was there for a diving save to keep Rochester in front.
 
UR went back on the offensive shortly after the Golden Flyer opportunity, with Kamal Ibrahim, Anandarajah and Makula all firing shots in a two-minute span.
 
In the 76th minute, Nazareth was able to tie the game, also scoring on one of the ten combined corners in the second half.
 
Pawlika took the set piece from the left corner, sent the ball into the far side of the box where Spencer Neil headed it down towards the left post. Goal scorer Ryan Fitzgerald was able to navigate some traffic in front and tap in the pass into the corner of the net to knot the game at 1-1.
 
In the ensuing minutes, the games intensity ramped up, with both teams speeding up play and increasing the physicality, looking for the go-ahead goal.
 
Rochester succeeded at moving back in front in the 84th minute. After a Cristianetti-Walker shot was blocked away for a corner, Bisenic took the ball and laced a corner kick service pass. On this one, Bassuk, who was camped at the crease, took a dive toward the middle of the box, got a flick header on the ball and just snuck the shot under the crossbar for the game-winner.
 
Bassuk's score was the first of the season and is the junior's fifth of his career. It also served as his first career game-winning goal.
 
The UR defense clamped down over the final six minutes, not allowing a Golden Flyers shot, finishing off non-conference play with the victory.
 
For the game, Rochester led in shots 15-to-9. UR also held the 9-to-5 advantage in corner kicks. In goal, Rochester's Lupica-Tondo ended with one save, while Brandt made six stops for Nazareth.