PAXTON, MA – Saint Joseph's College (6-6-2, 4-3-1 GNAC) edged Anna Maria College (2-10-1, 0-7-1 GNAC), 1-0, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's soccer contest on Monday afternoon.
Junior forward Zach Johnson (Westbrook, Maine) netted the game-winner 17:34 after the opening whistle. Sophomore Fabrice Iraduha (Portland, Maine) dangled through the Anna Maria defense and found Johnson, streaking down the left wing, who finished the play with this third goal of the season.
The AMCATS' best chance of the first half came off a set play from a direct kick at the 28:39 mark, when captain Bryan Blomgren (Auburn, Mass.) headed a pass from Enco Lika (Worcester, Mass.) just over the cross bar.
The two teams battled during a scoreless second half, but Anna Maria freshman Belwin Koduah had a chance to tie the game at the 66:20 mark when his shot towards an open net was stopped by SJC defender Jack LaFreniere (Alton, N.H.).
The Monks dominated the stat sheet with advantages over the AMCATS in shots (34-14), shots on goal (14-6) and corner kicks (6-2). St. Joe's first-year keeper Scott Benner (Post Falls, Idaho) made five saves to record his second shutout of the year, while his counterpart, Anna Maria netminder Scott Webster (Ocala, Fla.), posted 13 saves in the loss.
Saint Joseph's is now 2-0 in the history of the series with Anna Maria College. The Monks defeated the AMCATS by a 3-0 margin in the first-ever meeting between the sides last fall.
St. Joe's returns to action with a non-conference contest versus Endicott College at home on Wednesday (3:30 PM), while Anna Maria is set to host Nichols College on Thursday (4:00 PM).
Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.
