Pachniuk becomes winningest Wheaton men's soccer keeper after 4-3 victory over visiting Worcester State

October 13, 2006

NORTON, MA- Senior Matt Pachniuk (Newtown, CT/Newtown) became the winningest goalkeeper in Wheaton College men's soccer history during the Lyons' 4-3 victory over Worcester State College on Friday at Keefe Field. The Blue and White, one of two teams ranked 10th regionally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), moved to 9-3-3 while pushing its unbeaten streak to eight games. The Lancers fell to 5-9-1.

Pachniuk captured his 51st career triumph to break a tie with Jon Girolamo '98. Pachniuk, who is tied with Girolamo for the program's career shutouts record of 26, picked up his seventh win this season after recording 10 as a junior, 16 as a sophomore and 18 his freshman year.

The teams bunched four goals into the opening 17:18 of the contest and recorded six of the game's seven tallies during the first frame. With just 1:27 expired, Wheaton sophomore Dan Lane (Dedham, MA/Worcester Academy) caught up with a long pass from senior Ariel Tatum (Cayman Islands, BWI/Holderness School) and buried his 10th goal of the season, but the visitors drew even 2:33 later on an own goal. Worcester State took its lone lead of the match when junior Eder Baptista (Pawtucket, RI/Tolman) scored at 15:20, but the Lyons knotted the score only 1:58 later on the first of two straight goals by senior Cameron Habib (Norfolk, MA/Bridgton Academy). Habib scored again at 27:10 after warding off a defender and placing a shot just inside the left post. Freshman Brian Harris-McTigue (Brooklyn, NY/The Beacon School) got into the act by scoring 3:02 before halftime for a 4-2 Lyon lead. In just his fourth collegiate game, Harris-McTigue netted what proved to be the game-winner on his first career goal. Junior Jim Ferriero (Medway, MA/Medway) assisted.

Worcester State sophomore Matt Brothers (Auburn, MA/Auburn) scored the lone goal of the second half with less than 27 minutes to go. From there, the Lancers' best opportunities to tie went unanswered, as Baptista's cross six minutes after Brothers' tally sailed off the crossbar, Pachniuk turned aside a point-blank shot five minutes later, and sophomore Paul Membrino's (Fitchburg, MA/Fitchburg) shot from 25 yards with 4:34 left drifted wide.

Pachniuk finished with three saves, while junior Albert Jenkins (Thomaston, GA/West Nottingham) turned aside seven shots for the visitors. Wheaton held a 26-12 advantage in shots and a 3-1 corner kicks edge.

Wheaton looks to reach the 10-win plateau for the 15th straight year when it finishes up its non-conference schedule on Monday by hosting Bowdoin College at 3:00 p.m. The Polar Bears are ranked sixth regionally.

SCORING: 1st 2nd Final
Worcester State (5-9-1) 2 1 3
Wheaton (9-3-3) 4 0 4

1st Half: WC- Dan Lane (Ariel Tatum) 1:27; WSC- Own Goal 4:00, Eder Baptista (unassisted) 15:20; WC- Cameron Habib (unassisted) 17:18, Habib (unassisted) 27:10, Brian Harris-McTigue (Jim Ferriero) 41:58

2nd Half: WSC- Matt Brothers (unassisted) 63:19

Goalie Saves: WC- Matt Pachniuk 3; WSC- Albert Jenkins 7

Shots: WC- 26; WSC- 12

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