Look at the starting lineup for the University of Saint Joseph men’s soccer team, and you will see some familiar faces.
When the Blue Jays lined up for their Great Northeast Athletic Conference semifinal against Emmanuel College (Mass.) on Wednesday night in West Hartford, three locals were among the starting 11. They were Landon Coelho, Nate Gabriel and Ryan Riviezzo. Coelho, a freshman midfielder, played at Holy Cross High School. Gabriel, a sophomore midfielder, was a teammate of Coelho’s with the Crusaders. Riviezzo, a sophomore defender, played at Wolcott High School. Freshman Justin Cardinale, a hero of last year’s Naugatuck Valley League tournament championship for the Eagles, came off the bench as a midfielder. There are two other former Holy Cross High players, sophomore defender Ryan Dattilo and freshman keeper Aidan Peterson, on the Blue Jay roster.
All this top-seeded USJ team has done is put itself on the doorstep of its second-ever GNAC championship, and second-ever NCAA tournament berth. The Blue Jays stunned Emmanuel, 1-0, in overtime when graduate forward Henry McGarrah V (Avon High School) put home a penalty kick.
USJ will host the GNAC championship on Saturday at noon against third-seeded Johnson & Wales (R.I.).
Blue Jays Logo (Credit: USJ athletics)
