No.2 Knights Start Season Strong, Defeat Nighthawks 10-0

By Austin Johnson

Annandale, Va. – Number two ranked CCBC Essex began its season strong, defeating the Northern Virginia Community College Nighthawks 10-0. The Knights showed prolific offense, scoring five goals in both halves, and shutdown defense limiting the Nighthawks to just five shots on goal all game.

The Knights began the scoring early in the third minute with sophomore midfielder Kazuma Ishizuka (Kanagawa, Japan), scoring his first of the season. Assisting the first goal was sophomore midfielder Samuel Sesay (Bowie, Md.). Sesay also assisted sophomore midfielder Toga Katsuma (Shiga, Honshu, Japan) in the ninth minute for the Knight's second goal.

The chemistry between Ishizuka and Katsuma was strong with Ishizuka assisting two of Katsuma's three goals in the 26^th and 54^th minute. Along with Katsuma's three goals, he would also add three assists providing them for sophomore back Riku Kawano (Tokushima, Japan), freshman midfielder Christian Marquez (Silver Spring, Md.), and freshman forward Caleb Pritchett (White Marsh, Md.).

The Knight's last three goals of the game came from freshman midfielder Eishu Nishizono (Kagoshima, Japan) assisted by freshman midfielder Erick Sandoval (Annandale, Va.), sophomore midfielder Logan Jacurak (Parkville, Md.) assisted by Marquez, and freshman forward Ariya Sithara (Kanagawa, Japan) assisted by freshman midfielder Donnie Frayer (Silver Spring, Md.).

Earning the win and shutout for the Knights in goal was freshman goalkeeper Robin Schulze (Germany). He faced fived shots on goal, making all five saves in the full 90 minutes.

Up next for the Knights is a trip to Westminster, Maryland on Tuesday, August 30 to take on the Carroll County Community College Lynx. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 PM.