Behind nine different goal scorers, the Carnegie Mellon University men's soccer team defeated visiting Muskingum University, 9-2, in its season opener on Thursday, September 1 at home in Pittsburgh.

The Tartans opened the game's scoring in the 15th minute when freshman Elliot Cohen (Solana Beach, Calif./Canyon Crest Academy) buried a shot from a tough near post angle after receiving a pass through the defense from sophomore Zack Masciopinto (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove). Thirteen minutes later, the Tartans earned their sixth corner kick of the night which Cohen served to the back post. Masciopinto met the service with a shot that was stopped by the Fighting Muskies keeper but junior Jimmy Jameson (Fairfax, Va./Oakton) was in position to finish the rebound for the two-goal advantage for the Tartans.

In the 40th minute, Masciopinto found the back of the net after collecting a deflection off a defender.

The 3-0 score would hold until the 65th minute when freshman John Painter (Bethlehem, Pa./Moravian Academy) made a near post run and finished a cross by freshman Kasdan Bakos (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel).

The scoring continued for the Tartans in the 72nd minute when Bakos again played a cross to the center of the goal where senior Devin Keane (Melville, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) headed it home for the 5-0 lead.

Three minutes later, sophomore Anthony Gulli (Warrenville, Ill./St. Joseph) dribbled up field and around a defender to the outside of the 18-yard box where he then took a touch in and finished a shot past the charging keeper.

Another quick goal came for the Tartans when Keane served a corner kick to the far post and freshman Cooper Tubiana (Montclair, N.J./Montclair) headed it in for a 7-0 lead in the 79th minute.

The Fighting Muskies broke through the Tartan defense in the 81st minute when Zach Schmauch put a long throw-in over the defense and Trent Newby headed it over Andrew Ferber (Danville, Calif./Dougherty Valley) in goal for the Tartans.

Senior Harry Landis (Highland Park, N.J./Highland Park) answered the strike by the Muskies with his first career goal in the 84th minute. Fellow senior Aedan Marty (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Alderdice) played a ball from the center line through the defense which Landis collected and then touched around a defender before firing his far post shot low past the keeper.

The Fighting Muskies then scored their second goal of the game in the 85th minute when Kyle Baker picked off a pass and touched it forward to Schmauch who fired a shot from 25 yards out.

Freshman Nicolas Poveda (Miami, Fla./Coral Gables) closed out the scoring in the 87th minute after freshman Chris Harla (Princeton, N.J./Princeton) sent a long ball over the top of the defense. Poveda ran down the ball and took a shot over the keeper for the final tally of the night.

Sophomore Alec Lam (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) earned the win in goal for the Tartans after making one save during the first 74 minutes.