STANDISH, Maine – Top-seeded Saint Joseph's College (15-1-2) defeated #5 University of Saint Joseph (12-5-1), 3-1, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Soccer Tournament Semifinal at the SJC Athletics Complex on Tuesday night.
PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS:
With the win, Saint Joseph's advances to the GNAC Championship game and will host #2 Norwich University in the 2021 title bout at the SJC Athletics Complex on Saturday at 1:00 PM. Norwich blew past #3 Johnson & Wales University, 6-0, in the other semifinal tonight to set up the fifth GNAC Championship game between the Monks and Cadets.
For University of Saint Joseph, tonight's loss signals the end of the 2021 campaign.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Monks struck first in what was a physical, fast-paced contest, as senior midfielder Jackson Fotter (Gorham, Maine) scored what could be described as the best goal netted by the Royal Blue so far this season. On a throw-in from Jarred Greenleaf (Scarborough, Maine), the ball was headed by senior Kuma Onyejose (East Greenwich, R.I.) and Fotter, roaming near the right goalpost, executed a perfect bicycle kick into the right side of the net nine minutes into play.
The Blue Jays tied the game in the 37th minute, when sophomore forward Dane Stephens (Jamaica) registered his seventh goal of the year on a feed from junior Michael Torres (Hartford, Conn.).
The 1-1 deadlock lasted just six minutes however, as graduate Colin Grant (Harvard, Mass.) potted his team-leading 10th goal of the year on a penalty kick attempt. Sophomore midfielder Icaro Vieira (Westborough, Mass.) was taken down in the box to set up the PK bid and Grant finished with a laser into the right side of the net.
The Monks tacked on an insurance goal at the 55:58 mark when freshman midfielder Rion Dos Santos (São Paulo, Brazil) cleaned up a loose ball outside the top of the box and kicked a grounder into the bottom left corner for his fourth goal of the season.
TEAM STATS:
Saint Joseph's posted an 18-13 lead in shots while University of Saint Joseph held slim leads in shots on goal (8-6) and corner kicks (3-2) in a losing effort.
THE KEEPERS:
SJC graduate David Walbridge (Hampden, Mass.) made seven saves – including several outstanding stops – in the victory while USJ netminder Jose Miguel Garcia Martin posted three saves in the loss.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the triumph, the Monks improve to 4-0-0 in the history of the series with University of Saint Joseph. The Blue Jays' 37th-minute tally was the first goal the Monks allowed to USJ in the history of the matchup. Previously, SJC had outscored USJ by a 10-0 margin in the three meetings combined.
