Men's Soccer advances to MASCAC semifinals with 2-0 win over Mass. Maritime

Courtesy of MMA Sports Information

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass -- The MCLA Men's Soccer team received second half goals from Colin Rousseau and Cola Bean while goalkeeper Sam Edge pitched a shutout to lead the Trailblazers past Mass. Maritime 2-0 this evening in the MASCAC Quarterfinal round.  The fifth seeded Trailblazers (5-10-1) advance to the MASCAC semifinal round on Friday night against top seeded Salem State.  Mass. Maritime ends their season at 6-12.

The Basics

Final: MCLA 2, Maritime 0

For The Trailblazers

• Colin Rousseau scored the first goal, and the game winner, for MCLA in the 52nd minute. Cola Bean scored the second goal in the 79th minute.
• Gabe Dias was credited with the assist on the Rousseau goal. 
• Goalkeeper Sam Edge faced seven shots and made seven saves in the victory.

For The Bucs

• The Bucs got six shots, two on target, from senior forward Ben Cook (Ft. Myers, FL). Seniors Brian Tannian (Reading, MA) and Jake McInerney (Hanover, MA) each had two shots on target as well. Junior McNeill Somers (Boston, MA) took one shot on target. 
• The Bucs took 24 shots in total, seven on target in the game.
• Senior goalkeeper John Murphy (Braintree, MA) faced four shots, made two saves and allowed the two MCLA goals. 

How It Happened

The game began as the regular season match between these two teams ended, chippy and with a lot of midfield play. Maritime took their opportunities in the first half, taking 11 shots to MCLA's two. Unable to find the back of the net on any of their opportunities the first half featured frustration for both teams. In the final 10 minutes of the first half three yellow cards were shown, two to MCLA, one to Mass Maritime, on three separate incidents. With neither team able to break through the game went to the break 0-0.

In the second half, the Bucs once again outshot the Trailblazers, this time 13-9. The added offense for MCLA paid off as they broke the scoreless tie in the 52nd minute on a shot from Rousseau on a pass from Dias. The goal put the 'Blazers up 1-0 with a lot of time left on the clock. Maritime pushed and fought their way down field, earning six corners on the night, four in the second half. The Bucs nearly tied the game on multiple occasions with a handful of shots that rang off the posts. Not budging, the Trailblazers worked their way up the field late in the game and found themselves with an opportunity to extend their lead. Junior Florent took a shot from the right side that Murphy saved initially. The rebound fell to the foot of the freshman Bean and he put it in the net to up his team's lead to 2-0 and put it out of reach for the Bucs. Maritime battled in the final 10 minutes with a loud crowd of Maritime cadets behind them who supported the team for the full 90 minutes, and beyond, but the Bucs could not get the ball into the net. The Trailblazers took the 2-0 victory back to North Adams and will play at Salem State on Friday in the MASCAC Semi-Finals.