Scots' streak alive at expense of Seahawks

WENHAM, Mass. —Andrew Vandervoort (Memphis, Tenn.) scored his third game-winning goal in as many games when he fired a shot past the outstretched fingertips of Salve Regina keeper Jeffrey L'Heureux (Litchfield, N.H.) in the 72nd minute. The senior's goal was enough to sneak past the visiting Seahawks 1-0 and keep the team's seven-game winning streak alive. 

The Scots (7-0, 2-0 CCC) start to the season had certainly raised eyebrows around the CCC before conference play began last weekend. After Gordon's gritty win over Western New England last Saturday, the Scots second test in conference was going to be anything from easy. 

Salve Regina (2-4-1, 0-2 CCC) came in with a plan to defend well and counter quickly—a plan that nearly worked several times in the first half. Every time the Scots advanced the ball into their attacking half, they were immediately swarmed by several Seahawks' defenders, to snuff out the threat. 

Strong defense allowed the Seahawks to counter back in the other direction. Salve Regina took the first five shots of the game—three of them on goal—and forced Gordon's keeper, Tim Hardy (Gorham, Maine), to make multiple difficult saves. 

The frustrated Scots got one good opportunity on a corner before the end of the first half, but L'Heureux scrambled from the shadow of the net to punch the ball away from danger. 

The two teams regrouped at halftime after a scoreless tie. 

Second halves had been Gordon's bread and butter during their six-game win streak leading into the game, but they continued to be stymied by the defense-minded Seahawks in the first few minutes of the half. 

Slowly the Scots chipped away at the barrier in their attacking half, with David Egeler (Danbury, Conn.) and Vandervoort ripping shots at the mitts of L'Heaureux. Each time the Scots were met with a strong save to keep the game knotted at zero. 

As the clock ticked under 20 minutes to go in regulation, Egeler took a throw-in just inside the middle line on the field. Egeler's toss took a big bounce over the head of Vandervoort—who snuck past the defender marking him and streaked towards the ball. 

L'Heureux came out as far as he could to cut down the angle for Vandervoort, but the former CCC Offensive Player of the Year found just enough room to squeeze a ball into the right corner of the net. 

Gordon went into defensive mode, as the Seahawks scrambled for offensive support and the Scots defense held strong to preserve the 1-0 victory. 

The Scots outshot the Seahawks 11-7, despite one time trailing Salve 5-0 in shots early in the first half. L'Heureux made eight strong saves in the loss—while Hardy racked up his fourth clean sheet of the season in his seventh win.