Box Score Providence, R.I.- Senior midfielder Thomas Wampler (Attleboro, Mass.) netted two goals in a furious second half rally as the Rhode Island College Anchormen topped Little East Conference rival the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Corsairs, 4-2, at the RIC Soccer Field on Saturday afternoon.
UMass Dartmouth (4-2-1, 0-1-1 LEC) struck just 4:12 into the match when junior forward Matt Vidal (New Bedford, Mass.) knocked in a rebound following a shot from junior midfielder Brendan Vasconcelos (Rehoboth, Mass.). The two teams traded chances over the ensuing 38 minutes, but RIC (4-4, 1-1 LEC) freshman midfielder Dennis Vazquez (Providence, R.I.) took a feed from sophomore forward Komla Dogbey (Providence, R.I.), cut to the middle of the field, and ripped a low shot from just outside the 18-yard box to knot the game at 1-1.
Rhode Island College junior keeper Chris Moura (Rumford, R.I.) notched three saves in the half, while his counterpart, junior Andre Reis (Fall River, Mass.), also turned aside three shots.
The Corsairs controlled the tempo early in the second half, and would capitalize on the pressure with junior midfielder Wilfred Ghanyea (Monrovia, Liberia) finding the back of the net in the 59th minute off a feed from junior forward Stephan Teixeira (Brockton, MA). The Anchormen would respond just 28 seconds later, however, when senior forward José Zarraga (Providence, R.I.) registered his third goal of the season off a penalty kick after Vazquez drew a foul deep in the UMD box.
With the score knotted at 2-2 in the 64th minute, junior defender Evan Rosa (Rehoboth, Mass.) sent a long free kick into the box where a waiting Dogbey headed it on to the foot of Wampler, who ripped it home for the 3-2 lead. Wampler would strike again five minutes later when he found the back of the net off a corner kick from Vazquez. The RIC defense was able to stymie the UMD attack down the stretch to even its Little East record at 1-1.
Moura (4-3) turned aside four shots in the victory and Reis (2-2) stopped four in defeat. RIC held a 19-13 advantage in shots and a slim 8-6 advantage in corner kicks.
The next match for the Corsairs will be Tuesday September 29th, when they travel to Beverly, Mass. to take on the Gulls of Endicott.
