Salve Regina wins final regular season home game

NEWPORT, R.I. - Junior co-captain Issa Demirgioglu (Smithfield, R.I.) scored his first goal of the season in the first half and Salve Regina University men's soccer added three more in the second half to defeat visiting Wentworth Insitute of Technology, 4-0, in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at Reynolds Field.

Demirgioglu's game-winner came via an assist from classmate Zachary Kraft (Tenafly, N.J.) in the 39th minute.

Junior Devin L'Heureux (Litchfield, N.H.) was the beneficiary of a feed from the other Seahawk co-captain, junior Alec Shuman (Pompton Plains, N.J.), just over two minutes into the second half as Salve Regina (8-7-2; 4-3-1 CCC) built a 2-0 lead.

"I thought we did well controlling the flow and tempo of this match," said seventh-year head coach Craig O'Rourke II. "Coming out of our mid-week trip to Western New England, we were pleased with our ability to possess over the first two-thirds of the field, but we wanted to find ways to create more quality scoring opportunities during dynamic play and get more people in the box to finish those opportunities once created. I thought the second goal today – L'Heureux from Shuman – was a testament to us accomplishing both of those things."

Junior Zak Bissell (Allendale, N.J.) captilized on a penalty kick opportunity in the 71st minute for his first goal of the season and three minutes later added his second off a feed from freshman Matthew Swartz (Endwell, N.Y.). The defending conference champions provided plenty of offense to allow sophomore Daniel Stern (Kings Park, N.Y.) to post his sixth shutout of the season.

"Stern was exceptional at times today. He did not have much to do in the first half but made two top-shelf saves during the second period when Wentworth went more direct at frame. But Bissell was clearly a difference-maker today. We had the wind at our backs first half and were happy to go into the break leading 1-0, but then in the second half I thought we were initially struggling to play out of our own half going into the wind. Enter Bissell … he did some very good things for us today and the fourth goal was a quality bit of finishing."

Senior Patrick Charland (Duxbury, Mass.) played tenacious defense in his final regular season home game as a Seahawk. Salve Regina looks to gain one more game on the Reynolds Field grass by securing a home playoff contest with a win at Eastern Nazarene on Wednesday evening. The Seahawks are tied with Roger Williams (4-3-1 CCC) at the moment and would earn the fourth seed in tiebreaking procedures due to their 2-1 victory over the Hawks on September 28.

Sophomore Kevin Pepin (Fairhaven, Mass.) made eight saves for the Leopards.

Wentworth (2-14-0; 2-6-0 CCC) has a grip on the eighth and final playoff spot when it hosts University of New England on Tuesday evening in Boston.