Posted: Sep 12, 2025
Shock Explode for 8–3 Victory Over Gallaudet in Home Opener
Gallaudet University
(0-5-0)
3
Washington Adventist (MD)
(1-1-1)
8
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gallaudet University (0-5-0) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|
Washington Adventist (MD) (1-1-1) | 2 | 6 | 8 |
Takoma Park, MD – Washington Adventist University men's soccer kicked off its home slate in emphatic fashion Thursday afternoon, erupting for eight goals in an 8–3 win over Gallaudet University at WAU Turf Field.
"It's great for our young team to find their first win today against a well-spirited, experienced, and hard-working Gallaudet team," said Head Coach Daniel Carroll. "To see multiple goal scorers and the confidence we built in our attacking approach was encouraging."
The match began with a shock as Gallaudet's Xavier Deleon scored just over a minute into play, giving the Bison a 1–0 lead. But WAU refused to panic, relentlessly pressuring Gallaudet's backline with wave after wave of attacks. The breakthrough came in the 38th minute when Daniel Hirsch equalized with a composed finish. Moments later, Kemoi Jones put the Shock ahead off an assist from Steven Bonilla Rodriguez, sending WAU into halftime with a 2–1 advantage.
The Shock's offense erupted after the break. Hirsch struck again in the 47th minute to double the lead, and Samuel Damise added another just four minutes later. WAU continued to pour it on, with Dominic Marquez, Bonilla Rodriguez, and Abubakar Sesay all finding the back of the net in a flurry of goals between the 56th and 60th minutes. By the hour mark, WAU had built a commanding 7–1 lead.
Gallaudet pulled one back in the 67th minute on a penalty from Troy Holcomb, but WAU answered swiftly as Kaleb Simpson scored in the 73rd minute to push the score to 8–2. A late goal by Matteo Giansanti gave the visitors their third tally, but the Shock closed out the contest with a convincing five-goal margin.
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It was a true team performance for WAU, with six different players scoring and several multi-point contributors:
- Daniel Hirsch – 2 goals
- Kemoi Jones – 1 goal
- Samuel Damise – 1 goal
- Dominic Marquez – 1 goal
- Steven Bonilla Rodriguez – 1 goal + 3 assists
- Abubakar Sesay – 1 goal
- Kaleb Simpson – 1 goal
Goalkeeper Michael Delcid added several key saves to anchor the defensive effort, ensuring WAU stayed firmly in control.
"There's still plenty of work to be done and a lot of learning ahead, but a win always feels good, and even better when it comes from doing the right things," said Carroll. "We showed signs of that today, and now the challenge is to continue building and making it a habit."
Next Up
The dominant victory improves WAU's record to 1-1-1 and sets the tone for the 2025 home campaign. The Shock will look to carry this offensive momentum into their next matchup against Keystone College on the road, on Tuesday, September 16, as they continue to build early-season form in pursuit of Continental Athletic Conference success.
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