BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – Senior Alberto Benhamu's (Caracas, Venezuela) golden goal with 4:52 remaining in the second overtime lifted Wentworth to a 2-1 non-league college men's soccer victory over Massachusetts Maritime Wednesday evening at Clean Harbors Stadium.
Benhamu converted a feed from freshman Noah Martins (Dartmouth, Mass.) on the deciding tally for the visiting Leopards, who are off to their best start in 14 years at 4-0 overall. The four wins equals the total number of victories from a season ago. Martins caused a turnover from 10 yards out to create the opportunity for the game winner, as he slid a crossing pass over to Benhamu in front of the cage to keep Wentworth unbeaten.
Senior Connor McInnis (Duxbury, Mass.) had staked the host Buccaneers (1-2) to an early 1-0 advantage just 9:21 into the match on a pass from freshman Brendan Gawron (Braintree, Mass.) for his first marker of the season, but Wentworth evened matters in the 55th minute when sophomore Joe Kalil (Franklin, Mass.) converted a throw in from fellow sophomore Michael Zendan (Charlotte, N.C.), setting the stage for Benhamu's heroics in the second extra session.
Freshman Matthew Sekerak (Winthrop, Maine) picked up his fourth win of the season in goal with a four-save effort for Wentworth, while junior Joe Cohen (Plymouth, Mass.) made nine stops in the setback for Massachusetts Maritime. The Leopards outshot the Buccaneers by a 17-10 margin overall (12-5 on goal) and held an 8-5 advantage in corner kicks for the contest.
Wentworth hosts Roger Williams in the Commonwealth Coast Conference opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Sweeney Field in Boston that begins at Noon. Mass. Maritime will be idle until next Wednesday evening (September 16th) when the Buccaneers host Nichols.
