Bimek shines as MCC tops Morton in season opener

ROCHESTER - Kyle Bimek made six sparkling saves in goal, helping Jacques Aristhenes' first-half goal stand up as the MCC men's soccer team opened the 2018 season with a 1-0 victory over Morton College on sun-drenched DiMarco Field Saturday afternoon.

Bimek came up huge for the Tribunes (1-0), stopping a pair of point-blank shots in the second half before thwarting a Panther attack in the final seconds to secure the victory. It was the second career shutout for the sophomore keeper.

The lone goal of the game was a beauty. The Tribunes were awarded a corner kick in the 29th minute, and Aristhenes stepped up to put the ball in play. He sent a high arcing shot that bent toward the goal, beating the Morton keeper to the far corner for the first goal of the season.

From there, it was the Panthers who dictated the pace of play. Monroe only had a handful of scoring opportunities, while Morton put consistent pressure on the Tribune defense. The Panthers finished with an 18-7 edge in total shots.

Morton had a golden opportunity at the 65-minute mark, but a close shot from Francisco Toral was knocked away by Bimek.  Another Panther chance in the 85th minute was saved by Monroe's keeper. 

The final seconds were frantic, as Morton put a corner into the box. The resulting scramble in front resulted in a shot from Patrick Kibler, but Bimek dove to make the save and secure the shutout.

MCC is off until next Saturday, Sept. 8, when the Tribunes welcome Massasoit CC to DiMarco Field. Game time is 1 p.m.