2006 NEWMAC MEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT - Wheaton ties Coast Guard, advances to finals with shootout victory

November 4, 2006

NORTON, MA- The top-seeded Wheaton College men's soccer team and number five United States Coast Guard Academy played to a scoreless draw after two overtimes before the Lyons won a penalty-kick shootout, 5-4 during a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament semifinal game on Saturday at Keefe Field. The Lyons are now 11-4-4, while the Bears moved to 10-4-4.

Wheaton advanced to Sunday's 1:00 p.m. championship game, where it looks to defend its 2005 title by facing the winner of Saturday's second semifinal between number two Babson College and sixth-seeded Springfield College. The winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Lyons, ranked fifth in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), had more scoring chances during the 110 minutes of scoreless soccer than did their opponents, as Wheaton outshot the Bears, 26-7 and held a 10-2 advantage in corner kicks.

Late in regulation, Wheaton senior Cameron Habib (Norfolk, MA/Bridgton Academy) had a golden opportunity to break the stalemate, but his 79th-minute, point-blank opportunity was stuffed by freshman keeper Tim Olah (Glastonbury, CT). The Bear defense came up big four minutes later, blocking a pair of Wheaton shots inside the box, a feat Coast Guard repeated during the first minute of overtime.

In the 106th minute of play, Wheaton senior Dennis Durao (Hartford, CT/Northwest Catholic) curled a corner kick toward the net, but Olah jumped near the crossbar and punched the shot out of danger. With 38 seconds to go in the second overtime, senior Casey Steuer (Madison, WI) nearly ended the game in Coast Guard's favor, but senior keeper Matt Pachniuk (Newtown, CT/Newtown) dove to his left to make a critical save. With one second remaining, Wheaton sophomore Dan Lane (Dedham, MA/Worcester Academy) directed a header wide.

Following a pair of Pachniuk saves during the shootout, the Lyons led by a 3-2 count heading into a possible clinching kick, but Olah made his second stop, and Steuer knotted the shootout at three. After Wheaton junior Jim Ferriero (Medway, MA/Medway) and Coast Guard freshman Jacob Larsen (Cedar Creek, TX) exchanged goals, junior Trevor Cote (Portsmouth, RI/Providence Country Day School) put the Lyons up by one. Pachniuk guessed right on Coast Guard's next kick, which could have forced another attempt for each team, making a diving stop to end the game. For the contest, Pachniuk finished with four saves, while Olah had eight.

2006 NEWMAC MEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT
Wheaton 0, Coast Guard 0 (2 OT)

SCORING 1st 2nd OT 2OT Final
Coast Guard (10-4-4) 0 0 0 0 0
Wheaton (11-4-4) 0 0 0 0 0

Penalty Kicks: WC- Dennis Durao 1, Dan Lane 1, Colin Igoe 0, Cameron Habib 1, Ariel Tatum 0, Jim Ferriero 1, Trevor Cote 1
CGA- Scott Senkier 1, James Toohey 0, David O'Brien 0, Martin Villa 1, Casey Steuer 1, Jacob Larsen 1, Sean Munnis 0

Goalie Saves: WC- Matt Pachniuk 4; CGA- Tim Olah 8

Shots: WC- 26; CGA- 7

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