NORTON, MA- Junior Yuri Moreira (Marlboro, MA/Northfield
Mount Hermon School) scored his fifth game-winning goal of
the fall during the Wheaton College men's soccer team's 2-1
double-overtime victory over the United States Coast Guard Academy
in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC)
action on Homecoming Saturday at a rain-soaked Keefe Field.
Today's overtime contest between the teams marked the fifth
straight in the series, while it was the 13th game in 15 meetings
decided by a goal or less. Ranked 13th nationally and second
in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of
America (NSCAA), the Lyons improved to 10-2-1 overall and 2-0 in
the league, while the Bears fell to 4-6 and 0-3.
Scoring his team-leading 12th goal of the season, Moreira moved
into a tie for fourth place in program history with his 31st career
tally. Junior Josh Solomon (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxboro
Regional) notched the tying goal in a game that saw
Wheaton take 28 of 32 shots and 17 of 18 corner kicks, while
classmate Cole Davidson (Needham, MA/Salisbury
School) had one save in goal.
Coast Guard's lone tally came in the fifth minute off the foot
of junior Nick Devine (Rocky Hill, NJ).
Senior goalie Tim Olah (Glastonbury, CT) turned in
eight saves.
Early in the second overtime, Moreira carried the ball down the
left side of the field, beat a Bear defender and drove his shot
near post and beyond the reach of a diving Olah at 101:19.
Wheaton's first tally came midway through the second half, when
Solomon broke through with 24:44 to go in regulation after smacking
a post 10 minutes earlier. Freshman Cecil Jeffrey
(Framingham, MA/Rivers School) found Solomon streaking
down the middle of the field, and Solomon took the pass in stride
and planted his shot into the lower right corner of the net.
Despite getting outshot in the opening half by an 8-3 tally and
outcornered by a 7-0 count, the Bears scored the stanza's lone goal
just 4:54 in, as Devine had a look at an empty net after sophomore
Brett Godiksen's (Westbrook, CT) pass managed to
get past a sliding Davidson, who came off his line to challenge the
play.
Wheaton finishes its weekend stretch tomorrow with a home game
against non-conference foe Husson University at 2:00 p.m.
