Trailblazer Men fall in overtime to MASCAC front runner Framingham State 3-2
MCLA gave MASCAC front runner Framingham State all it could handle, but surrendered a late goal in regulation followed by the game winner just three minutes into overtime. Gary D'Annunzio tallied his first goal of the season in defeat.
Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University men's soccer team rallied from a two goal first half deficit to defeat MCLA 3-2 in overtime this afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's soccer action at Maple Street Field.
With the win, the Rams remain undefeated in the conference at 4-0 and improve to 5-5-1 overall on the season. The loss drops the Trailblazers to 4-7-1 overall and 0-3-1 in the MASCAC.
MCLA took a 2-0 lead midway through the first half. In the 18th minute junior Gary D'Annunzio (Valley Stream, NY) drilled a direct kick into the back of the net for his first goal of the season. Five minutes later, Jake McCall (Lincoln, RI) found Tedd Cecchetelli (West Springfield, Mass.) who sent a shot into the low corner of the net for the 2-0 lead.
The Rams cut the deficit in half in the closing minutes of the first as sophomore Ronaldo Vieira (Framingham, Mass.) sent a cross to classmate Andy Baptista (Taunton, Mass.) and Baptista found the back of the net for his first of the season.
The game would remain 2-1 in favor of the Trailblazers until the closing minutes of the game when sophomore Ryan Boughter (Rockland, Mass.) flicked the ball ahead to Romulo Carvalho (Milford, Mass.) and Carvalho tapped it into the back of the net for the game-tying marker with 2:46 left in regulation.
It would not take the Rams long to break the deadlock in overtime as Carvalho tipped a pass ahead to Vieira who spun and fired a shot into the back of the net for the game-winner just over two minutes in.
Junior Sam Yoder (Southbridge, Mass.) made eight saves for the Rams en route to his 4th win of the season, while Dillon Wager (Amdterdam, NY) made eight stops in the loss. The Rams outshot the Trailblazers 17-13 in the game, but MCLA held a slight 6-4 edge in corner kicks.
The Rams return to action on Wednesday as they host Clark University at 3:30 p.m., while the Trailblazers travel to Southern Vermont on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.