Aston, Pa. - After the 2020 season came and went without the program playing any games due to the pandemic, the Neumann University men's soccer team returned to the field for the first time since 2019 with a 2-0 home victory over Rosemont College on Thursday evening in non-conference action.
 
Marlon Trejo and Chimdi Ekwem were the goal scorers on the evening for the Knights, while Seth Walker was outstanding in goal with five saves.
 
After Wednesday's original game time was postponed until Thursday evening, both teams were eager to get their seasons started under the lights. Playing in front of a raucous crowd of several hundred fans, both teams generated early chances in the game's opening 20 minutes, but could not solve either net-minder as the contest remained scoreless. Neumann found the breakthrough it was looking for right at the midpoint of the half though. Using an excellent counter attack started from a well-timed Edwin Guerrero tackle deep in their own end, the Knights strung two long passes together through Chris Siemien and Trejo before springing forward Jon Yinger in on goal on a breakaway. A Rosemont defender hauled the freshman attacker down in the box and the hosts were awarded a penalty kick for the infraction. Trejo then stepped up to the spot and fired home the team's first goal of the season to make it 1-0 in favor of Neumann.
 
Were it not for Walker, the game may have been tied up just under a minute later. The Ravens got on the end of a free kick from the left flank, glancing a header towards the side netting of the Neumann goal before the junior keeper sprawled out to make a fingertip save and keep the game at 1-0. Using momentum from the big stop, it wasn't long before the hosts doubled their advantage through Ekwem. With a free kick of their own on the right side of the field, Trejo delivered a great ball into the box that Guerrero directed off the crossbar. Before the visitors could react to the loose ball, Ekwem smashed home a header on the goal line to make it 2-0 and give the Knights a somewhat comfortable lead heading into halftime.
 
Eddie Proud created two great chances to put the game to bed early in the second stanza, but one chance was stopped by the Rosemont goalkeeper and the other was blocked by a defender as the score remained 2-0. Trejo also almost added another tally to the home scoreboard in the 70th minute, but his bent service off of a corner kick ricocheted right off the post before being cleared by the visitors. Rosemont nearly cut the lead in half in the 80th minute, but Walker again came up huge, coming off his line to deny a Raven attacker to preserve his shutout. The final ten minutes were a bit dicey for the Knights, but Rosemont couldn't put another shot on target as the hosts held on for the 2-0 win to start the season on a positive note.
 
Neumann (1-0) will have a day to rest before heading south for a pair of games this weekend at the Randolph Macon Yellow Jacket Classic. The Knights will take on hosts Randolph Macon College on Saturday, September 4th at 3:00 PM before finishing the weekend with a neutral site game versus Virginia Wesleyan University on Sunday, September 5th at 1:00 PM.