BOSTON, Mass. – Senior midfielder Ben Nasman (Lenox, Mass.) and sophomore midfielder Matt Racca (Wakefield, R.I.) each tallied second-half goals while junior keeper Brian Pearsall (Sanford, Maine) made four saves as the Wentworth men's soccer team shut out Mass. Maritime, 2-0, in a non-league contest played at Sweeney Field.
A fast-paced first half would result in both teams having scoring chances, but neither able to find the back of the net. After 45 minutes of play, Wentworth held a 9-5 shot advantage.
Just 3:01 into the second stanza, senior defender Dave Fustino (Meriden, Conn.) flicked a pass to classmate John Golden (Whitman, Mass.) along the left flank. Golden found an open Nasman who would bury a shot to the left side and break the scoreless tie. In the 68th minute, Nasman had a chance to put the Leopards ahead, 2-0, but freshman netminder Brett Young (Falmouth, Mass.) got a hand on the shot at the last second and tipped it over the crossbar.
Wentworth would have another quality scoring chance in the 81st minute of play when freshman Mike Souza (Fall River, Mass.) went in on a breakaway, but Young came out to make a brilliant save to keep the score at 1-0. The Leopards capitalized on a Buccaneer mistake with 1:00 left in the contest when Racca would intercept a clearing attempt and score on an open net.
Pearsall made a pair of saves in each half in recording his second shutout of the season. Young stopped nine shots for Mass. Maritime, which was outshot by a 22-9 margin.
Wentworth's second straight win improves the Leopards' record to 3-2 heading into Saturday's The Commonwealth Coast Conference tilt at Salve Regina. Mass. Maritime (1-3) hosts Framingham State in a MASCAC contest that same day.
