FLUSHING, N.Y. – The Roberts Wesleyan College men's soccer team erupted for four second-half goals and overpowered host Queens College 5-1 in an East Coast Conference match on Saturday.
Senior Dylan Ruiz scored three goals, including two in a span of 2:07, to give the Redhawks a 3-1 advantage. Sophomore Nathan Ferguson added two goals for Roberts (5-4-1, 3-1-1), which extended its unbeaten streak to four.
"To be honest, the wind played a huge factor," Roberts coach Scott Reber said. "They had the wind in the first half and even though we scored first, they started to take it to us at the end a little bit. We got the wind in the second half and once we got that second goal, we just opened things up."
Ruiz now has 11 goals in 10 games this season and moved into second place on Roberts' career goal-scoring list with 44, four behind Jaime Rivera (1977-80).
Freshman Caleb DaSilva made nine saves to earn his second straight victory.
Roberts opened the scoring as Ferguson converted a diving header off a cross from Justin Robertson at 16:54 of the first half. Erik Hernandez scored to tie the game for the Knights about 20 minutes later and it was all Roberts from there.
"We moved the ball much better," Reber said of the second half. "We were looking to get in behind them and we just poured it on."
Ruiz broke free for a goal at 59:28, bouncing a shot off the keeper into the bottom right corner, and connected again at 61:35.
Tamas Nagy sent a through ball into Ferguson for a tap-in at 70:43 and Ruiz completed the scoring off a feed from Robertson at 75:46.
Ollie Ardle, Ryan Curtis and Marc-Anthony Blackburn also turned in solid efforts for the Redhawks.
"We had a lot of really good performances today," Reber said. "It was a lot of fun to watch."
Roberts returns to action for a non-conference match at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown at 2 p.m. Tuesday.