BEVERLY, Mass. – Sophomore Michael Wildes (Winslow, Maine) scored off a throw-in the 87th minute to lift #19 Saint Joseph's College (1-0-0) past Endicott College (0-1-0), 2-1, in a hard-fought men's soccer contest on Friday evening. The contest counted as the 2019 season opener for both programs.
The victory goes down as the career first for Head Coach Will Pike '11, who was named as the Monks' leader last January.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Monks opened the game scoring in the 27th minute, when junior Noah Elmore (Berlin, Vt.) hit pay dirt off a feed from senior Mitchell Duncan (Sanford, Maine).
The 1-0 edge remained until the 67:46 mark when Endicott's Kobe Barnes (Hartford, Conn.) converted a failed clear attempt into the Gulls' first goal of the season.
THE KEEPERS:
- Saint Joseph's junior David Walbridge (Hampden, Mass.) turned away three of the four shots he faced in the victory; the Endicott score was the first collegiate strike allowed by the third-year keeper, who entered the opener having not allowed a goal in over 420 minutes (16 appearances)
- Endicott freshman netminder Zach Regulbuto (Somers, Conn.) registered seven stops in the losing effort
NOTEWORTHY:
- For Wildes, the 87th-minute goal is the first of his collegiate career
- Sophomore Kuma Onyejose (East Greenwich, R.I.) led all players with six shots, including two on goal
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the victory, Saint Joseph's improves to 3-8 all-time versus Endicott College. Interestingly, the Monks defeated the Gulls with an 87th-minute tally last season as well, as Ryan Buonaiuto (Scituate, R.I.) scored off a Jackson Taylor (Gorham, Maine) assist to lift St. Joe's to a 1-0 triumph.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's will play at Gordon College on Saturday at 7:00 PM. The Fighting Scots opened their season tonight with a 2-0 victory over Thomas College.
