DWYER SCORES GAME WINNER AS SAINTS DEFEAT VASSAR, 1-0

Oct. 11: After a tough conference loss to Rensselaer on Friday, the St. Lawrence University men’s soccer team rebounded and used a second half goal to put away their third Liberty League win of 2008 en route to a 1-0 victory over Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY, on Saturday afternoon.

The Scarlet and Brown improve to 7-5-0 overall and a 3-0-0 mark in the conference, while the Brewers fall to 6-5-0 and a 1-3-0 record in the league.

The contest’s only goal came in the 70th minute of play from senior forward Kiel Dwyer (Warwick, RI/ Toll Gate High School), as he received a through ball from classmate and co-captain Paul LaMarca (Mesa, AZ/Red Mountain) and found himself all alone in the right side of the box, allowing him to drill a shot past a diving Vassar keeper Jake London.  The ball hit the left post and rolled into the net to give the Saints a 1-0 lead they would never relinquish with 20:33 left to play.

The Brewers’ London had an impressive game between the posts as he collected nine saves after being peppered with 33 shots.   The Saints tried to extend their lead in the remaining minutes as junior forward Emmanuel Mbong (Norman,OK/Norman) broke away from a Vassar defender into the 18, but London came streaking out of the net to make a spectacular diving save and keep the deficit at one.

The hosts came close to tying things up with just eleven minutes to play, as Brewer Eli London crossed the ball to the left side of the field to find open teammate Brian Bianchetti, but his hard-kicked shot went just to the left of the net.

The Scarlet and Brown held an impressive 33-7 shot advantage, with LaMarca and rookie midfielder Alex Soto (Lorton, VA/South County Sec.) both taking six shots in the contest.  St. Lawrence keeper Emilio Coletta (Montreal, QC/Marianapolis College) had three saves for his fifth shutout of the year.   

“We played a great game today,” said Saints’ head coach Bob Durocher.  “We were able to keep the ball in Vassar’s defensive end throughout most of the contest and create several opportunities for ourselves.”

The Saints will travel to Texas this upcoming week to face the nation’s top ranked team, Trinity University, and Southwestern on Friday, October 17th and Saturday, October 18th, respectively.  The game is scheduled to begin at 5:00pm in San Antonio, TX.

SAINTS FALL TO RENSSELAER IN

LIBERTY LEAGUE ACTION, 2-0

Oct. 10: A pair of goals, one in each half, was enough to give the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s soccer team a 2-0 victory over the St. Lawrence University men’s soccer team in conference action on Friday afternoon in Troy, NY. 

With the win, the Red Hawks improve to 8-2-1 overall, including a perfect 3-0 in Liberty League play. The Saints move to a 7-5-0 overall mark and are 2-2-0 in the conference.

Despite the Scarlet and Brown holding a substantial 22-15 advantage in shots and an 11-7 edge on shots on goal, Rensselaer keeper Alex Penny was able to get in between each of those eleven shots and the back of the net to secure his team’s fourth shutout of the year.  St. Lawrence keeper senior and co-captain Emilio Coletta (Montreal, QC/Marianapolis College) had five saves in the contest.

The Red Hawks got on the scoreboard towards the end of the first period as the home team’s Tim Wisner came off the bench to tally the opening goal and eventual game winner. Teammate Blake Adams delivered a ball over the left side of the Saints defense to Wisner, whose near post shot was partially blocked by Coletta, before it snuck across the goal line for the home team’s 1-0 edge in the 41st minute, a lead they would carry well into the second period.

Rensselaer widened its lead to 2-0 in the 58th minute on a free kick less than a yard outside the Saints penalty area as Red Hawk Benjamin Poser lofted a cross to teammate Lincoln Field at the far post, who leaped and buried a header past Coletta for his fourth goal of the season.

Both squads had a number of chances to score in the last 30 minutes of play, but neither could find the finishing touch. Coletta kept St. Lawrence in the game stopping a pair of breakaway chances by RPI’s Andrew Tambasco, both coming in the last part of the game. 

Rookie Brendan Gorman (Ottawa, ON/St. Matthew) led the team offensively with four shots, which all found the target. Seniors and co-captains Paul LaMarca (Mesa, AZ/Red Mountain) and Ryan Moore (Keene, NH/Keene) had four shots apiece, with each recording two on goal.

   
The Saints return to action on Saturday, October 11th for another Liberty League battle with Vassar College. The game is set to begin at 2:00pm in Poughkeepsie, NY.