POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 25, 2015) – 10 different Brewers recorded at least one goal, led by four scores from senior Sean Brazier (Stony Brooks, NY/Ward Melville) and a hat trick from junior Noah Parson (Cary, NC/Panther Creek), as VC cruised past Manhattanville College 18-2 Wednesday evening. The Brewers scored 13 unanswered goals to open the game at Tenney Stadium, and remained in control throughout the contest to secure their fourth straight season-opening win. The 18 goals marks the most ever scored in school history to open a season, while the 16-point margin of victory is also a school record in season debuts for Vassar. VC improves to 1-0 on the year, while Manhattanville drops to 0-1 to start the 2015 campaign.

Vassar came out firing from the get go, finding soft spots in the Manhattanville defense early and often to produce open shots. Junior Shane Flattery (Brewster, NY/Brewster) got VC started a little over a minute in with a goal, while Brazier and sophomore Brandon DeStasio (West Hempstead, NY/Chaminade) tacked on two more to give VC a 3-0 lead with 8:54 to play. Parson notched his first goal of the day with 1:51 to play in the first quarter on a dish from senior Scott Brekne (Stony Brook, NY/Ward Melville), giving VC a 4-0 lead at the start of the second.

The Brewers poured it on in the second quarter, adding six more goals to extend the lead to 10-0 by the end of the half. Brazier and Parson tacked on two more a piece, while Brekne notched his first of the season in the first ten minutes of the quarter. Sophomore Liam Moriarty (New Fairfield, CT/New Fairfield) tallied his first of the year to round out the scoring for the half.

VC put away another six goals in the third quarter, as sophomores Matthew Altman (New Fairfield, CT/New Fairfield) and Sam Houston-Read (Waban, MA/Newton South) but tallied their first of the year. Freshman Eric Fishman (Phoenix, AZ/Brophy College Preparatory) notched his first career goal in the burgundy and gray, burying a shot with 7:39 to play to put his side ahead 15-1.

Brazier and Flattery added insurance in the fourth, both racking up one goal each as Vassar clinched the 18-2 win.

Freshman goalie Erik Mikelinich (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills HS East) earned his first career victory on the night, making five saves while allowing no goals in two halves of play. Brekne posted  a team-high three assists for the Brewers. VC finished 20-24 on clears in the game, while outshooting the Valiants 37-19.

The Brewers will be back in action at Tenney Stadium on the Campus of Marist College next Wednesday, March 4 to face No. 15 Montclair State at 6:30 pm.

--VASSAR--