BOSTON, Mass. – Junior Emmett Basaca (San Diego, Calif.) and sophomore Noah Martins (Dartmouth, Mass.) each recorded a goal and an assist to help the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's soccer team notch its first-ever win over Western New England as the Leopards scored three unanswered goals to defeat the Golden Bears, 3-1, in a Commonwealth Coast Conference contest played on Sweeney Field.
Wentworth, which entered the game 0-11-1 all-time against Western New England, runs its unbeaten streak to eight games (5-0-3) and improves to 7-2-3 overall (3-0-1). The Golden Bears fall to 4-7-0 (2-2-0).
A physical start to the game yielded few chances, however each team was able to put a shot on net. The Golden Bears took a 1-0 lead when junior Logan Pingree (Middletown, Conn.) sent a long thru ball down the middle to junior Troy Remillard (Palmer, Mass.). Remillard battled through the box and beat sophomore Matthew Sekerak (Winthrop, Maine).
Less the three minutes later, the Leopards got the equalizer when Basaca served a corner kick near the box. Classmate Joe Kalil (Franklin, Mass.) flicked a header past senior Kevin Strobel (Rockland, Mass.) at 20:15. Wentworth took a 2-1 lead at the 23:27 mark when Basaca again sent a corner kick towards the box. Junior Matt Sanchez (Salem, N.H.) came up with the loose ball amidst a scrum and fed Martins, who buried a shot to the right side.
Late in the first half Wentworth nearly went ahead 3-1, however junior Matt Cicalis' shot ricocheted off the inside of the left post and came back out.
Just one minute into the second half it was Basaca and Martins again factoring on a goal as Martins threaded a ball down the middle to Basaca who buried a shot inside the left post.
Sophomore Joe Schallmo (Norwood, Mass.) improved to 2-0-1 on the season as he made seven saves in 72:37 of work. Sekerak made a save in the first 17:23. Strobel turned aside eight Leopard shots on the afternoon. Wentworth held a 17-16 shot advantage and a 6-5 edge on corner kicks.
The Leopards step out of conference play Wednesday night when they travel to WPI.
