WENHAM, Mass. – Gordon sophomore keeper Alex Solser (Willoughby, Ohio) and Wentworth senior keeper Brian Pearsall (Sanford, Maine) combined to make 16 saves, but it was Solser's two additional saves in the penalty kick round that would be the difference as the third-seeded and host Fighting Scots advanced to the semifinal round of the 2010 The Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament by way of a 4-2, shootout win on the sixth-seeded Leopards. The two teams had battled to a 0-0 draw after 110 minutes of play.
The game was a re-match of Gordon's 7-0 defeat of Wentworth during the regular season, but the Leopards came out to a fast start, nearly scoring in the sixth minute of play when sophomore Matt Racca (Wakefield, R.I.) fired a shot that would be saved by Solser. The two teams battled for the remainder of the half, each getting off six shots, with two coming on goal for each team.
Gordon had a chance to break the ice in the 49th minute when junior Blake Berkey (Akron, Ohio) took a bicycle-kick shot from the top of the box. However, Pearsall was able to get a good read on the shot and knocked it over the crossbar to keep the game scoreless. The Fighting Scots outshot Wentworth by a 15-4 margin in the second half.
Both teams had chances in the first overtime period, but Solser and Pearsall made one save each. In the second overtime period, the Fighting Scots put the only shot on goal of the period in the 107th minute, but would come up empty and the game would end in a draw. The shutout was the eighth straight for Gordon and extended its streak of not allowing a goal to 784:34.
Solser finished the game with six saves, while Pearsall turned aside 10 shots. Gordon held a 26-12 shot advantage and a 6-4 corner kick advantage.
Wentworth went first in the shootout round with sophomore Jake Buzzell (Merrimac, Mass.) burying a shot to Solser's right. Gordon quickly evened the score at 1-all when sophomore Kellen Kasiguran (Oakwood Village, Ohio) beat Pearsall to the right. Racca's shot in the second round would be saved by Solser and Fighting Scot senior Matt Horth (Akron, Ohio) gave his team a 2-1 lead when he converted his second-round attempt. Senior Nick Brown (New Bedford, Mass.) evened the score at 2-all with a make in the third round, but the Fighting Scots countered with a make by junior Archie Reed (Abington, Mass.) to go ahead, 3-2, after three rounds.
Solser saved senior Ben Nasman's (Lenox, Mass.) attempt to open the fourth round, giving Fighting Scot freshman Andrew Vandervoot (Memphis, Tenn.) a chance to send his team to the semifinal round. His attempt beat Pearsall, giving Gordon a 4-2 win and the right to travel to second-seeded and three-time defending champion Western New England on Wednesday. The Golden Bears knocked off seventh-seeded Colby-Sawyer, 3-0.
Gordon stands at 9-4-5, while Wentworth is 9-8-1. The Leopards are under consideration for an ECAC Tournament berth, which will be announced on Monday, November 8.
