WAYNE, Pa. - The Northampton men's soccer team opened the 2016 campaign with an 8-0 victory over Valley Forge Military College on Thursday afternoon at Trojan Field.  Sam Gaye (Bath, PA/Northampton ) and Joey Jacona (East Stroudsburg, PA/East Stroudsburg South ) combined for 4 goals and 6 assists as the Spartans pulled away from a 3-0 halftime lead to earn the victory. 

Kenan Meral (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty ) earned the shutout victory in goal, posting 5 saves, while Armando Gonzalez (Bath, PA/Nazareth), Mohamed Aisset (Allentown, PA /William Allen ), Aaron Timbe (Elgin, IL/Larkin (IL)) and Tyler Eichelbaum (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) all added goals for Northampton.  Jacona finished with 2 goals and 3 assists, as did Gaye. 

"It was a good team victory," remarked 3rd year Head Coach Brennan McCarthy, "Valley Forge is much improved over last year and their defense, especially in the first half, was very solid.  I felt like we wore them down a little in the second half and were able to convert some opportunties that we didn't take advantage of in the first half."

The Spartans, 1-0-0, are now off until September 8th when they host EPAC rival Lehigh Carbon Community College at 3:30pm.