STANDISH, ME - Doug MacCallum '10 (Hingham, MA) tallied a pair of goals and Jack LaFreniere '13 (Alton, NH) added a goal and an assist for top-seeded Saint Joseph's (12-7-1) in a 3-0 GNAC Quarterfinal victory over #8 Johnson & Wales (2-17) at Westerlea Way Field on Saturday afternoon. MacCallum and LaFreniere scored goals just 17 seconds apart early in the first half to put the game out of reach for the Wildcats and Monks keeper Will Pike '10 (Gorham, ME) recorded five saves to pick up his 11th shutout of the year.
St. Joe's kept JWU keeper Joe Ferraro '11 (Freehold, NJ), who made nine saves, many of the acrobatic variety, busy all afternoon. The Monks outshot the visiting Wildcats, 24-7, and held a 6-1 advantage in corner kicks in the triumph. With the win, Saint Joseph's advances to the semifinal round and will play #4 Norwich, who defeated #5 Albertus Magnus 3-2 in double-overtime this afternoon, at Westerlea Way Field on Tuesday at 1:00 PM. The loss caps the 2009 season for Johnson & Wales and the team's three seniors.
The Monks dominated play from the very start, and Ferraro appeared up to the task in the early going on a scoring chance by MacCallum. The senior forward was sprung loose by a LaFreniere lead pass 1:17 after the opening whistle, but Ferraro left the goal to challenge and made a do-or-die stop outside the box. Two minutes later, Mike Sanfilippo '12 (Walpole, MA) found a seam and received a long cross pass from the right corner off the foot of LaFreniere, only to have his attempt from inside the box denied by a diving Ferraro.
St. Joe's kept the pressure on and broke through with the eventual game-winner at the in the 13th minute. Andre Cushing '10 (Hampden, ME) hustled down the right sideline to collect a lead ball and promptly dealt a pass to the top of the box to MacCallum, who sent a sliding kick past Ferraro to net his seventh game-clincher of the season.
The Monks' second goal came 17 seconds after their first on the team's next possession. Paul Robins '11 (Cornwall, England) deftly pushed a bouncing lead pass up the middle through traffic to the speedy LaFreniere, who tipped the ball past Ferraro. The JWU keeper had no choice but to leave the goalmouth and challenge, but LaFreniere finished the play with his fourth goal of the year and lifted the Monks to a 2-0 lead.
The two-goal cushion proved to be more than enough for Pike, although the Wildcats did have several opportunities to creep back into the game. At the 20:16 mark, JWU midfielder Eric Flath '10 (Warwick, RI) levied a sinking liner from the 18, but Pike made a diving stop to his left to preserve the shutout bid. Ten minutes later, Wildcat forward Scott Kirchner '10 (Irvine, CA) left a midfield cluster with the ball, all alone, and streaked toward the SJC net, but Pike left the net and made a body save at close range.
Saint Joseph's remained relentless on both ends of the field, and outshot the visitors 13-4, in the second half. LaFreniere continued to impress with his non-stop motor and nearly doubled his goal output with a chance in the 51st minute. The elusive freshman dribbled for nearly 20 yards into the box, leaving a pair of JWU defenders in his wake, but his close range attempt was denied by Ferraro. Four minutes later, MacCallum had a chance to score possibly the most unbelievable goal of his playing career, but his bicycle kick bid, off a pass from LaFreniere, clanged off the right post.
The SJC forward duo finally combined for a score late, as MacCallum netted a goal, on a sliding kick to the bottom right corner, off a LaFreniere pass with 3:54 remaining to cap the game scoring.
The shutout marks the 14th straight game in which either Saint Joseph's or their opponent was held without a goal.
Johnson & Wales (12-7-1) vs. St. Joseph's (Me.) (2-17)
Date: Oct 31, 2009 Attendance: 250
Weather: Cloudy
Goals by period 1 2
Tot
-------------------------------
Johnson & Wales..... 0 0 - 0
St. Joseph's (Me.).. 2 1 - 3
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 12:55 SJMMS Doug MacCallum (Andre Cushing) - 17 LOW
CROSS TO 10, SLIDING SHOT FROM THE SIX, MIDDLE RIGHT
2. 13:12 SJMMS Jack Lafreniere (Paul Robins) - THROUGH
BALL FROM 7 TO 21, SHOT LOW BOTTOM RIGHT
3. 86:06 SJMMS Doug MacCallum (Jack Lafreniere) - 2 ON
1 CROSS FROM 21 TO 10 SLIDING GOAL
Shots: Johnson & Wales 7, St. Joseph's (Me.) 24
Saves: Johnson & Wales 9 (Joe Ferraro 9), St. Joseph's (Me.) 5
(Will
Pike 5)