NEWTON, Mass. (9/13/17) – Sophomore Matt Latsha (Litchfield, N.H.) scored his first game-winning goal of the season to lift the Lasell men's soccer team over Southern Vermont College, 3-2, Wednesday afternoon at Taylor Field. The win marks the first for the Lasers this year, as they shift to 1-3 overall, while the Mountaineers remain winless at 0-6.
The Lasers were down but not out early in the game, as Southern Vermont needed just 14 seconds to break open the scoring. Fernando Juarez (Lawrenceville, Ga.) flew up the right flank and sent a ball to Jared Lacoste (Arlington, Vt.), who headed the ball into the top corner. Senior Stephen Blood (Windsor, Conn.) responded for the Lasers in the 19th minute for the game's first of two deadlocks, 1-1. Connor Wall (East Hampton, Conn.) set up the play on a through ball to Latsha, who distributed the ball to Blood for a far-post finish.
Strong goalkeeping kept the score at 1-all in the remainder of the first, as blasts from Simon Nigro (Simsbury, Conn.) and Zachary Ramsey (Cranston, R.I.) were stopped by SVC rookie Dylan Berg (Tampa, Fla). The battled inside the cage continued just 59 seconds into the second half, as an outstretched Jackson Burhans (Berlin, N.Y.) denied a strike from Nick Langat (Silver Spring, Md.).
In the 59th minute, Southern Vermont committed a foul inside the box that led to the Lasers' first lead of the game. Kenan Omerbasic (Windsor, Conn.) converted on the PK to the lower right corner for his second goal of the season, and the 2-1 lead. However, with 13 minutes left in regulation, Langat scored his third goal of the season on a heading finish on the end of a lofted cross from Lacoste, again tying the game, 2-2.
With everything on the line and four minutes left to play, Sawyer Geelan (Guilford, Conn.) blasted a strike that bobbled off the hands of Berg. Latsha was there to collect the loose ball, and placed the game-winner far post to give Lasell its first victory of the season.
Burhans stopped three shots in net for Lasell, and improves to 1-2 on the year. Berg had a strong showing in net for the Mountaineers, and stopped nine of 12 shots faced.
Both teams return to action on Saturday, September 16. The Lasers open Great Northeast Athletic Conference play with a 12:00 kickoff against the AMCATS of Anna Maria College on Taylor Field, while the Mountaineers head to Pine Manor for a 4:00 p.m. start.