EASTON, Mass. (Sept. 7, 2012) – Senior forward William Koki (Aurora, Colo.) scored his third goal of the season as the Mercy College men’s soccer team won a third straight overtime contest, a 2-1 victory over Stonehill College, to maintain its perfect start to the season.
The Mavericks are now 4-0-0 and ranked No. 5 in the East region by the NSCAA. Stonehill drops to 1-2-1 with the defeat.
Mercy nearly took a 1-0 lead at just the three-minute mark as sophomore Roberto Dashi (Nyack, N.Y.) sent a header on goal for his team-leading eighth shot on goal in as many total attempts, but it was saved. The teams spent the first quarter-hour jostling for the upper hand and Mercy got another two shots on goal before Stonehill managed even its first attempt in the 30th minute.
The Skyhawks eventually got things together and managed to force two saves of junior goalkeeper Nick Papas (Castleton, N.Y.) over the final 15 minutes, but the game would remain scoreless heading into halftime.
Stonehill carried its momentum into the second half as Mercy was unable to build up an attack until 20 minutes in and could not put another shot on frame until the 77th minute. Fortunately for the Mavericks, Koki made it count as he pounced on a loose ball in the box and slotted it into the lower right corner to put the visitors up 1-0.
Mercy kept up the pressure for a few more minutes before Stonehill fought back into the match and eventually equalized in the 89th minute as junior midfielder Kevin Gilmartin (Pompton Plains, N.J.) blasted a 25-yard free kick into the upper right corner.
Overtime commenced and Mercy had the run of play from the get-go. It took only six minutes for the Mavericks to finish what they started as sophomore midfielderRyan Flynn (Valley Stream, N.Y.) ran onto a ball played into the open field and one-timed it in for the victory.
Junior forward Ransmond Aboagye (Bronx, N.Y.) played a key role in the Mercy attack as well, leading the team with three shots on goal on three total attempts. Papas ended the day with three saves while sophomore Adam Colella (Wilmington, Mass.) made four for Stonehill.
Head Coach Chris Smith and the Mavericks will look to try for their fifth straight victory on Sunday, Sept. 9 at winless Saint Anselm College (0-2) in a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
– Mercy Athletics
