MEN'S SOCCER: High Seeds Hold True in GNAC Tournament Quarterfinals
Top seeds JWU, SJC, Norwich and USJ earned GNAC Tournament wins on Saturday afternoon -- three of which were one-goal games while the top-seeded Wildcats needed PKs.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NO. 1 JWU 1, NO.8 LASELL 1 - JWU ADVANCES ON PKS
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Johnson & Wales University men's soccer team survived and advanced in the first round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference playoffs on Saturday against the eighth seed Lasell University. Lasell held strong for most of regulation, plus two overtimes, but eventually succombed to the Wildcats in penalty kicks 4-2.
Records:
Lasell: 6-15-1 (5-6-1 GNAC)
Johnson & Wales: 16-2-2 (10-0-2 GNAC)
Statistical Leaders:
Nick Gutekunst (JWU) : 1 goal
Takuya Tsuji (LU) : 1 goal
Braeden Krakosky (JWU) : 1 assist
Goalkeepers:
LU: Jackson Burhans (L, 4-7) 12 saves
JWU: Austin Scoggin (W, 14-2-1) 1 save
Of Note:
The Wildcats got things started with a goal from Nick Gutekunst in the 20th minute of the first half, with an assist from Braeden Krakosky, as both teams were in the process of testing each other in the playoff atmosphere. Little did JWU know that Gutekunst's shot would be the only goal scored for the Wildcats in regulation and overtime.
Later in the first half, Takuya Tsuji launched a beautiful free kick that beat the Wildcat keeper and equalized the match. It was one of five shots that Lasell would muster the entire match.
With the scored tied at one, JWU ratcheted up the pressure in the second half, peppering the Lasell keeper with shot after shot. Jakson Burhans held the line for Lasell and kept the tie solid in regulation.
Two overtimes did not decide this one, so penalty kicks became the focus. JWU's first three participants Riley Spotton, Nick Gutekunst, and Kevin Reilly all connected, while Lasell's first three had a one miss. Then, the Wildcats JP Rioux blasted his shot home which paired with a second miss from Lasell and JWU advanced to the next round of the GNAC playoffs.
Next Game:
The Wildcats host the University of Saint Joseph's (CT) Blue Jays on Wednesday, the #1 seed vs. the #4, with an invitation to the finals on the line.
Courtesy of JWU Athletics Communications.
NO. 4. USJ 1, NO. 5 ALBERTUS 0
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — In what was the biggest goal in USJ men's soccer history, the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team outlasted Albertus Magnus College (AMC), 1-0, in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) quarterfinals, on the USJ Soccer Field Saturday afternoon.
Freshman midfielder Michael Torres (Hartford, Conn.) netted his first career playoff goal (the second in program playoff history) with just 57 seconds on the clock to secure what was a true test of mental and physical toughness on the turf Saturday. With the victory, the four-seeded Blue Jays (12-5-1) advance to the GNAC semifinals for the first time, where they will go head-to-head against top-seeded Johnson & Wales University on the road Wednesday.
The Match
The five-seeded Falcons (9-9-1) completely flipped the script from their 6-2 loss to USJ in the regular-season finale on October 30, amping up their aggression on both ends, but ultimately suffered a heartbreaking defeat after allowing a goal in the final minute of regulation. Freshman goalie Garfield Robinson (West Haven, Conn.) was sensational all-around for AMC, racking up 10 saves, many in acrobatic fashion, and allowed the game's only goal (6-7-1). USJ's freshman goalie John Griffin(Southington, Conn.) picked up his first career playoff shutout and second of 2019 (7-4-1).
The Falcons will certainly look back on two offside calls, one in the 21st minute, the other in the 57th. In both instances, the Falcons were able to get the ball into the net, but a whistle blew just moments later, taking them off the board, much to the dismay of the Falcon faithful, who made the forty-minute trip north. Both teams had ample opportunities to put the ball in, but time and time again could not finish the job. USJ held a noticeable advantage in total shots (19-10), including 11-7 in shots on goal. USJ also held a 7-3 mark in corner kicks. Eventually, enough knocking on the door and the door broke through.
In the 15th minute, sophomore forward DeAnte Anderson (Bloomfield, Conn.) dribbled past three AMC defenders after receiving the ball just outside the box. He launched a shot from just outside the goal right to left, but Robinson made an incredible acrobatic save, the ball left spinning on the turf inches in front of the line. He stopped it, snatched it, and kept it scoreless.
Six minutes later, the Falcons had a free kick from about 35 yards out. The ball was sent into the USJ net, but not before the first of two offside calls saved a goal. It was still scoreless midway through the first half.
Perhaps the best first-half chance for the Blue Jays came in the 33rd minute on a free kick from 18 yards (just outside the box) from freshman midfielder Mergim Kutllovci (Thomaston, Conn.). The kick looked good coming off, but sailed just to the left of the post and out of play.
The Falcons kept the pressure on the Blue Jays' backline through the midway point of the half, but Griffin kept AMC at bay with a few key saves, including one in the 44th minute, on a shot from the leading scorer in the conference this season, junior forward Salah Oumorou (West Haven, Conn.). It was one of two shots on goal for Oumorou in the match. It was still scoreless heading into the locker room.
Torres had a good look in the 49th minute, just a few steps away from the goal on a lofted pass over the top of the defense, but he couldn't get enough on the kick, tapping the ball with his heel, allowing Robinson to make another critical save, this one in traffic.
In the 57th minute, Oumorou launched another shot from the left side after tricky-dribbling past two defenders, but Griffin made an impressive save, smacking the ball down and toward the far post, only another AMC player was right there to tap the ball into the net. The goal was called back for a second time though, as officials believed he was offsides. It was still a scoreless match with 30 minutes to go.
USJ kept the ball in scoring territory, particularly in the final 10 minutes, where it had opportunities from junior midfielder and co-captain Gaetano LaBella (Wethersfield, Conn.), and two free kicks, all in a four-minute span. Each time though the ball was sent back. Finally, just as "one minute left in regulation" was announced on the field, Torres received the ball off a deflection from an attempted shot by Anderson, who hoisted the ball into the top left portion of the cage to break the tie. It was Torres' third goal of 2019, and a first of many for USJ Men's Soccer in the postseason: first game-winning playoff goal, first home playoff goal, and the first-ever postseason win. A capacity crowd sprung from the cold metal bleachers in astonishment, as the Blue Jays held on for the biggest win in the program's short history.
Up Next
The Blue Jays will now head to the shoreline for a date with destiny, taking on top-seeded Johnson & Wales University in the GNAC semifinals. The match is slated for Wednesday, November 6, at a time to be announced.
Courtesy of USJ Athletics Communications.
NO. 3 NORWICH 1, NO. 6 COLBY-SAWYER 0
NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Freshman defender Elias Gabrielsson (Ostersund, Sweden)picked an opportune time to score his first collegiate goal with 15:14 left in the second half to lift the Norwich University men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over No. 6 seeded Colby-Sawyer College.
Gabrielsson headed home a ball that deflected off the cross bar off an initial header by senior midfielder Julio Arreola (Chula Vista, Calif.) to give Norwich the game's only goal and punch the Cadets' ticket to their 16th straight Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Semifinal appearance.
Norwich (14-3-1) won its fourth straight game and will play the winner of No. 2 seed Saint Joseph's (Maine) and No. 7 seed Emmanuel College on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at a time and location to be determined. Norwich would host Emmanuel if the Saints won, but would go on the road if the Saint Joseph's (Maine) won.
Norwich's 14 wins are the most since the 2008 GNAC championship team won 18 games.
The Cadets heavily outshot Colby-Sawyer, 27-4. Freshman goalkeeper Robert Wagenseller (Poway, Calif.) stopped both shot attempts on goal to pick up his fifth shutout of the season.
Jarrod Parkins made nine saves for Colby-Sawyer to fall to 3-3-1 on the season.
No. 1 seed Johnson & Wales advanced on penalty kicks after tying Lasell 1-1 in double-overtime. No. 4 seed Univ. of St. Joseph (Conn.) beat Albertus Magnus 1-0 in other quarterfinal action. JWU will host USJ in one semifinal.
Courtesy of Norwich Athletics Communications.
NO. 2 SJC 2, NO. 7 EMMANUEL 1
STANDISH, Maine – Second-seeded Saint Joseph's College (15-1-3) clipped #7 Emmanuel College (8-9-1), 2-1, in a hard fought Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's soccer tournament quarterfinal at the SJC Athletics Complex on Saturday afternoon.
PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS:
With the win, Saint Joseph's advances to the GNAC semifinal round and will host #3 Norwich University on Wednesday evening, start time TBD. The Cadets nipped #6 Colby-Sawyer College, 1-0, in other quarterfinal action this afternoon.
For Emmanuel College, the loss signals the end of the 2019 campaign.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Saint Joseph's claimed a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute, when senior Noah Robinson (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) connected for his eighth tally of the year. The SJC lead lasted just over five minutes, as sophomore Campbell Shealy (Lexington, S.C.) was awarded a penalty kick attempt at the 33-minute mark and buried the bid with a shot to the lower left corner.
Junior Noah Elmore (Berlin, Vt.) scored what proved to be the game-clincher just 5:24 into the second half with a nifty tap-in during a scrum in the goalmouth on a corner kick attempt. Senior Mitchell Duncan (Sanford, Maine) was credited with an assist on the play.
The Monks proceeded to dominate possession for the better part of the contest.
THE KEEPERS:
SJC junior David Walbridge (Hampden, Mass.) made one save to improve to 14-1-3 on the season while Emmanuel senior Jonathan Ferrarini (Hanover, Mass.) turned away five shots in a losing effort.
TEAM STATS:
Saint Joseph's held the lead in shots (16-4), shots on goal (7-2), and corner kicks (11-2) on the afternoon.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the victory, Saint Joseph's improves to 12-3-1 all-time versus Emmanuel College and has now defeated the Saints in six-consecutive meetings dating back to the 2016 season.
Courtesy of SJC Athletics Communications.
Quarterfinals - Saturday, November 2 (at high seeds)
Match 1: #8 Lasell at #1 JWU - 1:00 PM
Match 2: #5 Albertus Magnus at #4 USJ - 2:30 PM
Match 3: #6 Colby-Sawyer at #3 Norwich - 1:00 PM
Match 4: #7 Emmanuel at #2 Saint Joseph's Maine - 3:00 PM
Semifinals - Wednesday, November 6 (at high seeds)
Match 5: #4 USJ at #1 JWU
Match 6: #3 Norwich vs. #2 Saint Joseph's Maine
Championship - Saturday, November 9
Match 7: At highest remaining seed
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
– #TheGNAC –