Falcons Win First-Ever ECAC Tournament Game with 3-2 Victory over Endicott

Richard Mitchell (Naugatuck, Conn.) scored the game-winning goal and added an assist as the Albertus Magnus men's soccer team defeated Endicott College 3-2 on Wednesday afternoon in an ECAC Tournament quarterfinal match-up. The victory marks the first-ever ECAC Tournament win for the Falcons.

Mitchell scored his fourth goal of the season in the 59^th minute of the contest to give Albertus a 3-1 lead as his goal was the eventual game winner.  With the win, the Falcons' improve to 16-3-1, marking a program record in single-season victories for the program.

Endicott (8-9-3) scored first in the contest, taking a 1-0 lead in the 23^rd minute, as Brett Longobucco scored his first goal of the season. Bobby Durben had a long throw-in into the box where Longobucco got his right foot on the ball sending it into the top right corner of the net.

In the 35^th minute, Albertus tied the contest at one as Chris Long (West Haven, Conn.) connected on a header for his third goal of the year. Stephen Zapata (Hamden, Conn.), the nation's leader in assists, recorded his 21^st as he served the ball into the box where Long was waiting.

Albertus scored two goals in the second half led by Mitchell, who tallied an assist on Jamal Howard's (West Haven, Conn.) team-leading 22^nd goal of the year and scored his own goal later in the 59^th minute of play.

In the 52^nd minute, Howard got his foot on the ball and sent it into the back of the net as he received a one-touch pass in the box from freshman Lindsley Barrett (Shelton, Conn.). Barrett, the 2011 GNAC Rookie of the Year, received the initial pass into the box from Mitchell as the Shelton native earned his first assist of the season.

After Mitchell's score, which was assisted by James Lucchesi (Norwalk, Conn.), the Gulls cut the Falcons' lead to one with a goal by Jared Rizzo in the 73^rd minute.

Donato Piroscafo (Naugatuck, Conn.) made some big saves in the contest, giving the Falcons' the one-goal victory. Piroscafo finished the 90-minute match with six saves, while he improved his tally on the year to 89. Endicott's Aaron Kanter allowed all three Falcon goals, while making six saves in net.

Albertus outshot Endicott 17-14, including a 9-6 clip in the first half.

The Falcons will take on the winner of the Castleton State/Worcester State match on Saturday, Nov. 12. More information will be posted on AlbertusFalcons.com later this evening on the ECAC semifinal contests.