November 2, 2008
MSOC: LE MOYNE DEFEATS MERRIMACK, 4-3, IN SHOOTOUT TO ADVANCE IN NE-10 TOURNAMENT
Syracuse, N.Y. - Freshman midfielder Jesse Carr (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles) converted a penalty kick in the final round of shots to give the fourth-seeded Le Moyne College men's soccer team a 4-3 win in a shootout against fifth-seeded Merrimack in the opening round of the 2008 Northeast-10 Conference tournament at the Niland Athletic Complex on Sunday afternoon. Following 110 minutes of action, the Dolphins and Warriors were tied at two goals apiece to force the shootout to determine which team advanced to the tournament semifinals.
Merrimack (10-4-4) opened the contest's scoring on a free kick in the eighth minute. Senior midfielder Wayne Sygrove tallied his sixth goal of the season when his free kick from just outside the penalty box on the right side found the back of the net.
Less than seven minutes later, the Dolphins evened the score
following a downfield-punt by junior goalkeeper Steve White
(Cortland, N.Y./Cortland). Sophomore all-conference
forward Angelo Reina (Frankfurt, N.Y./Utica Notre
Dame) collected White's punt 15 yards past midfield,
chipped the ball over a defender, then beat Merrimack's goalkeeper
with a shot from 10 yards out into the left netting of the goal.
Neither team could take the lead over the final 28 minutes of the
half and went into intermission with the score tied 1-1.
The Warriors broke the tie just 2:45 into the second with off another free kick by Sygrove. After the ball got loose in front of the goal off Sygrove's kick, Eric Gomes scored from two yards out.
The Dolphins netted the equalizer following a free kick of their own with 16:01 remaining in regulation. Following an off-sides call on the Warriors, sophomore all-conference defender Sean Lawlor (Kirkham, Preston/Baines School) served the ball into the penalty box. Freshman defender Eddy Rosenburgh (Barneveld, N.Y./Poland) headed the ball back to junior forward Brice Rudat (Nassau, N.Y./Columbia), who fired a one-touch volley inside the right post into the back of the net from 20 yards out.
Each team had chances to record the game-winner over the final 16 minutes of the second half, but neither team could convert. In the first overtime period, Merrimack was able to take two shots, but were both off target. The Warriors had a chance to advance in the conference tournament 1:32 into the second overtime period, but Tiago Dalboni kicked the ball right to White on a breakaway.
In the shootout, first team all-conference forward
Matt Pecheone (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford)
put the Dolphins up 1-0 with a goal following a diving save by
White on Merrimack's first opportunity. Following a second miss by
the Warriors, Rosenburgh converted his shot for a 2-0 lead.
Merrimack tallied on its next shot, while Warriors goalkeeper Rob
Pedra turned aside Brandon Morse (Lima, Ohio/Shawnee)'s shot to
make the score 2-1. In the fourth round of kicks, Greg Motta
converted for Merrimack, while Lawlor scored for the Dolphins to
make it 3-2. After Maxime Obongono scored for the Warriors, Carr, a
member of the conference's all-rookie team, registered the winner
by slotting the ball into the goal.
Le Moyne held a 13-7 advantage in shots, including a 5-1 edge in the first half, while Merrimack recorded seven corner kicks to Le Moyne's five. White turned away two shots in between the pipes for the Dolphins, with Pedra stopping five Le Moyne shots on goal.
Le Moyne (12-4-3) advances to the semifinals of the Northeast-10 Conference tournament on Wednesday at number one seed UMass Lowell at a time yet to be determined.
-agate-
Le Moyne
2, Merrimack 2 (Le Moyne wins shootout 4-3)
Merrimack (10-4-4)
1
1
0
0
- 2
Le Moyne (12-4-3)
1
1
0
0
- 2
Merrimack: Scoring - Wayne Sygrove (1-1), Eric Gomes (1-0). Goalkeeping - Rob Pedra (110:00, 2 GA, 5 saves).
Le Moyne: Scoring - Angelo Reina (1-0), Brice Rudat (1-0), Steve White (0-1), Eddy Rosenburgh (0-1). Goalkeeping - Steve White (110:00, 2 GA, 2 saves).
