Men's soccer captures eighth straight with 2-1 overtime victory versus Golden Bears

NEWPORT, R.I. - Freshman Rainer Randell (Providence, R.I.) scored the game-winning goal in overtime, lifting the Salve Regina University men's soccer team to an exciting 2-1 victory over Western New England on homecoming at Reynolds Field. The Seahawks continue to improve upon their best start in program history and are now 8-0-0 overall on the season, including a 3-0-0 mark in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play, while the Golden Bears slip to 4-4-1 (1-1-0 CCC).

In addition to Randell's goal, the Seahawks received a marker from senior Bobby Ernst (Needham, Mass.) as well as assists from senior Jacob Brigandi (Vernon, Conn.), sophomore Kyle Knoth (East Islip, N.Y.) and sophomore Evan Thomas (Mohnton, Pa.). Freshman Daniel Stern (Kings Park, N.Y.) earned his sixth win in net, making five saves to improve to 6-0-0 in his young collegiate career.

Senior Shawn DaCruz (Ludlow, Mass.) notched the lone goal of the contest for the Golden Bears, while senior Nick Starr (Somers, Conn.) took the tough loss in net, making five saves on the day.

The two teams battled to a scoreless tie over the opening 78 minutes of action before the Seahawks finally broke through in the 79th minute. Salve Regina was awarded a free-kick just over midfield and senior co-captain Jacob Brigandi stepped up and hit a well-placed driven service on to the leaping head of senior co-captain Bobby Ernst who flicked the ball past the diving WNEU keeper to give the Seahawks the 1-0 lead with just over 10-minutes remaining on the clock.

With time running out, the Golden Bears pushed more players forward and played directly at the Salve Regina backline.  A missed clearance in the final minute of the match produced a Salve Regina foul, awarding Western New England a direct free kick from about 19-yards out.  WNEU's Shawn DaCruz bent a looping free kick around the Seahawk wall that just beat the outstretched arm of the diving Salve keeper Daniel Stern and found the far side netting to level the score at 1 – 1 and send the game into overtime.

With the clock winding down on the first 10-minutes of overtime, Salve Regina pressed forward and forced WNEU to tackle the ball out across the touchline for a Seahawk throw-in.  Sensing the end could be near, the Seahawks committed their numbers forward and pressed in on the Western New England goal.  The Golden Bears' initial clearance off the throw-in was immediately brought down by a towering header from sophomore Evan Thomas who played the ball into the forward space of sophomore Kyle Knoth who quickly drove a one-time volley across the face of the WNEU goal.  There, flying in at the back post, was freshman Rainer Randell to knock it home for the game-winning score, securing Salve Regina's eighth straight win.

"I'm very pleased with the way my side responded after surrendering that free kick that led to Western New England leveling the score in the final minute of regulation," says Salve regina Head Coach Craig O'Rourke II. "We knew going into this match that they were going to be a very capable side and would not stop coming at us until the final whistle.  Our ability to comeback from them scoring like that and still create chances with which we could win this match just demonstrates the depth of teamwork, leadership, and resiliency that this year's edition of Salve Regina men's soccer possesses."

The Golden Bears return to the pitch on Tuesday, facing Wesleyan on the road, while the Seahawks resume action on Wednesday, hitting the road to battle WPI at 7 p.m.