(Valhalla, NY) - If there is a theme for the week for the Westchester Community College Men's Soccer team, it is that when a player is making his debut for the Vikings, there should be the highest of expectations. On Tuesday, Westchester rallied from a 1-0 deficit with less than 10 minutes to play to notch a 2-1 win over Queensborough Community College, thanks in large part to the play of freshman Tyrone Malango (Tuckahoe, NY/Tuckahoe HS), who scored both WCC goals during the first game of his Westchester career. 48 hours later, sophomore Allen Hoti (Yorktown, NY/Yorktown HS), a defender during the 2018 season made his first career start as a goalkeeper, and the game could not have gone better. Hoti did not allow a goal over 65:51, notching Westchester's first shutout of the 2019 season as the Vikings routed visiting Dutchess Community College, 4-0.

With the win, Westchester is now 3-1 overall, and 2-1 in Region XV, and 1-0 in Mid-Hudson Conference play.
 

Hoti was not tested much, making a single save during the game, but the defense - in large part thanks to spectacular games by Leonardo Vargas (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle HS) and Jose Tovar (Yonkers, NY/Riverside HS) - did the dirty work for him, allowing only six total shots over 90 minutes, and very limited time of possession for Dutchess (0-3, 0-2 Mid-Hudson Conference, 0-1 Region XV).

Westchester not only controlled possession, but their offensive effort was nothing short of a barrage. The Vikings out-shot Dutchess 26-6, and scored twice during the first 10 minutes to all but put the game away. At 6:42, freshman Tuane Tapper (Mount Vernon, NY/Mount Vernon HS) was pulled down from behind in the scoring box, creating a penalty kick opportunity that freshman Leo Olos Moura (Port Chester, NY/Port Chester HS) promptly buried for his first career goal, and a 1-0 lead. Three minutes later, Tovar found Tapper with a beautiful crossing pass, and Tapper notched his third goal of the season to make it 2-0.

From there, neither team was able to generate much offense for a solid 60 minutes, but as the Westchester ball control wore down the Dutchess defense, opportunities arose. At 60:28, a transition opportunity saw freshman Matthew Melnychuk (Irvington, NY/Irvington HS) find Tapper with a through ball that Tapper chipped over the Dutchess goalkeeper for a 3-0 lead, and his fourth tally of the season. Finally, at 88:44, Malango scored his third goal of the season, finishing a gorgeous passing play with Jason Almedia Da Cruz (Yonkers, NY/Escola Secundaria Olavo Moniz (Cape Verde) for the 4-0 final.

Hoti was relieved by sophomore Saul Ypanaque (Ossining, NY/Ossining HS), who made one save over the final 24:09 to preserve the shutout.

Westchester Community College returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 17 when the Vikings travel to Kingsborough Community College for a 4:00 p.m. start.