DARTMOUTH, Mass. – After evening the score at 2-2 going into the half, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men's soccer team allowed a Keene State late score as they fell to the Owls, 3-2, on Saturday. The Corsairs drop to 0-8-1 overall and 0-3 against conference foes following the loss, while the Owls improve to 6-2-1 overall and hold a conference record of 3-0-1.
The offense started very early in this one, when the UMass Dartmouth senior captains paired up for the opening goal right off the kickoff.
Rafael Raposo sent up a long, high pass to
Joey Paiva, who was able to handle it and tap it over the head of the Keene State keeper to go up 1-0 just one minute into the game. The Owls answered quickly, when junior Brandon Comire evened the contest at 1-1 in the seventh minute.
Both teams played this opening half very aggressively, playing for possession but still taking their shots when the opportunities came. Keene State was able to take their first lead of the game when their senior forward, Mbambi Mbungu handled a long pass from Comire and scored, putting the Owls ahead 2-1. While trailing by one in the 37
th minute, Raposo was awarded a free kick and used it perfectly. He found junior
Justin Petrillo on the opposite side of the net, who left-footed it passed the keeper to even the contest at 2-2. Raposo tallied his second assist of the contest on Petrillo's first goal of the season.
After a high-action first half, the second half played much slower with the two teams seeming content to play for possession. In the 70
th minute, Keene State was awarded a free kick just outside the box. The Owls' free kick attempt was blocked by the wall in front, but the rebound went right to KSC freshman Cristian Correa, who found the back of the net for the go-ahead score and eventual game-winner.
The Corsairs had one final opportunity to even the contest in the 86
th minute, when Keene State junior Damir Hamzic was handed a yellow card after knocking down UMD sophomore
Nick Mahjoory inside the box. The Corsairs were awarded a penalty kick, giving junior
Braeden LeClair an opportunity to even the contest. LeClair's shot carried just above the crossbar as the Corsairs remained down one score, where the contest would come to an end.
The attack was fairly balanced in this game, with Keene State holding a 19-16 shot advantage over UMass Dartmouth, while the Corsairs attempted nine shots-on-target to the Owls' seven. UMD senior goalkeeper
Jack Waterhouse played the full 90 minutes and made four saves. Keene State's junior keeper Regan Racicot played the entire game and stopped six shots.
UMass Dartmouth men's soccer team returns to the pitch on Tuesday, Oct. 3, when they travel to Boston, Mass. for a meeting with Wentworth. Kickoff is scheduled for 6pm.
