MCC Unbeaten Streak Hits Six with 2-0 Win Over MassBay CC

Press Release/News Article
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Kevin Battista (Enfield) scored four minutes into the game and Giuseppe Panajia (Glastonbury) added a goal in the second half as Manchester CC extended its unbeaten streak to six with a 2-0 win over MassBay CC in Manchester Tuesday afternoon.

Hami Kara (Wethersfield) made nine saves as MCC (6-0) turned in its fourth straight shutout. The Cougars have allowed just one goal over six games while scoring 18.

“The match-up was tougher than I thought it would be,” MCC Head Coach Jim Insinga said. “They were big and fast and we had trouble with them for a while, but our defense held up for the shutout and we had no major mistakes.”

Kara was outstanding once again and remained in the game after he was kicked in the face and hip while making a save early in the second half.

“Outstanding,” Insinga said of Kara. “He did everything to perfection.”

Battista scored the first Cougar goal for the second consecutive game. The Sophomore co-Captain put MCC on top to stay in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Bunker Hill CC. On Tuesday, Battista got behind MassBay’s defense with an Aldo Morin (West Hartford) pass and found himself in a one-on-one situation with MB goalkeeper Nicko Voskarian.

“Aldo had a header and I hung on the backline,” Battista said. “It happened to bounce over the defender and I was there and just took it in and tapped it around the goalie.”

Panajia’s goal, which was assisted by Cris Fernandez (Naugatuck) and Frank Busumbru (South Windsor) came with 22 minutes left to play and virtually put the game out of reach for MassBay.
“That pretty much did it,” Insinga said of Panajia’s third goal of the season. “In these types of games, 2-0 is good enough, especially in the second half.”

The Cougars have stormed through their Region 21 schedule so far this season, but have a big test on the road Saturday night when they travel to Boston to play Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology.
“That is going to be a very difficult game Saturday,” Insinga said. “We have some hurdles to jump over.”