BEVERLY, Mass. – After junior Noah Martins (Dartmouth, Mass.) forced overtime with 16:09 remaining in regulation, it took just 50 seconds into the extra session before the top-seeded Endicott College men's soccer team netted the game-winning goal as the Gulls defeated the fourth-seeded Leopards, 2-1, in a Commonwealth Coast Conference Quarterfinal.
With the win the Gulls improve to 12-4-3 and will host second-seeded Gordon on Saturday in the CCC title game and the right to go to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Leopards see their season come to an end with a 10-8-2 record.
Endicott's golden goal came off the foot of sophomore Evan Couchot (Mason, Ohio) after he took a pass from senior Robert Hartman and found the back of the net.
The tightly contested battle saw the Gulls have an early shot advantage before Wentworth nearly scored in the 28th minute. Senior Emmett Basaca (San Diego, Calif.) took a shot which was saved by freshman Will Manuel (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) and the rebound squirted out to Martins whose second-chance bid was saved by Manuel.
At the 54:20 mark, Endicott took a 1-0 lead when Couchot sent a cross to senior Diego Maillo (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) whose shot from the left side initially hit the post, but ricocheted in.
Despite being outshot 15-8 in the second half, the Leopards nearly tied it on a header from senior Joe Kalil (Franklin, Mass.) in the 74th minute. Just 39 seconds after nearly tying it, Martins evened the score at a goal apiece when he headed in a free kick from Basaca. For Basaca, he extended his season record to 14 assists.
Neither team was able to capitalize on chances late in regulation, sending the contest to overtime where Couchot wasted little time ending the game.
Freshman Camden Stockdale (Durham, Conn.) made three saves in 63:13 to pick up the win, Manuel made four saves in the first 27:37. Sophomore Philip Chomicki (Dorchester, Mass.) made four saves for Wentworth. Endicott had a 23-14 shot advantage and a 6-1 advantage on corner kicks.
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