BOSTON, MA – Emmanuel College (5-3-4, 2-3 GNAC) nipped Saint Joseph's (6-3, 3-2 GNAC), 1-0, with a goal near the end of the first overtime period in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's soccer match on Saturday afternoon.
Emmanuel junior forward Kevin Shirley (Madison, Conn.) broke a scoreless match with his third goal of the season in the first overtime session to lift the Saints to the 1-0 victory.
With 2:55 to play in the overtime session, Saints sophomore midfielder Danny Richman (Medfield, Mass.) fired a strike from 25-yard away that found its way on net, forcing Monks sophomore goalkeeper Kenny Grade (Hampton, N.H.) to make a save. After the initial stop, the ball came loose from Grade's grasp and a streaking Shirley was able to poke the ball home to lift Emmanuel to its second conference victory of the season.
The Monks controlled play through much of the second half and had the game's best scoring opportunity in regulation when the Saints were whistled for a foul from just outside their own 18-yard box 10 minutes into half. With Emmanuel setting up the wall, sophomore forward Zach Johnson (Westbrook, Maine) never asked for the wall to move back 10-yards, instead striking the ball - while the players forming the wall had their backs turned - towards a wide open right-side of the goal. Fortunately for the Saints the ball sailed just over the crossbar and the score remained deadlocked at 0-0 until Shirley's heroics in the overtime period.
Both teams had decent scoring opportunities early in the first half of play as well but could not convert. Emmanuel had the game's first good look as sophomore forward Allan Parrelli (Reading, Mass.) was able to break through the Monks defensive line at the 12 minute mark but was unable to get a shot off as he was chased down inside the 18-yard box. Shortly after, Saint Joseph's controlled possession deep within Emmanuel's defensive zone and gained a series of throw-ins that were taken by junior midfielder Jack LaFreniere (Alton, N.H.). The Monks had several good looks resulting from the throw-ins but were unable to convert.
On the game the Monks outshot the Saints, 17-6 and held a 5-3 advantage on corner kicks.
Emmanuel keeper Garrett Charette (West Springfield, Mass.) picked up his second collegiate victory, making four saves on the afternoon after relieving senior keeper Wilhelm Du Bois (Key Biscayne, Fla.) with two minutes remaining in the first half after the upperclassman collided with an SJC forward and suffered a head injury. Du Bois made three saves before exiting the match.
For the Monks, Grade made four saves in between the pipes.
Emmanuel had never defeated Saint Joseph's prior to this afternoon as the Monks fall to 3-1-1 with the loss. The shutout setback was the first of the season for St. Joe's.
The Saints will return to action on Monday, September 3 when they head to Chicopee, Mass. to take on Elms College at Leary Field in a 7:00 PM contest while Saint Joseph's heads to Beverly, Mass. on Tuesday afternoon to face off against Endicott College at 6:30 PM.
COURTESY OF EMMANUEL COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
