LaBrie OT Goal Sends Terriers to NAC Championship Game

WATERVILLE, ME --- Top-seeded Thomas College held off a stiff challenge from No. 5-seed New England College, needing an overtime goal by freshman forward Adam LaBrie (Yarmouth, ME / Yarmouth) to win 2-1 on Wednesday and advance to the championship game of the North Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Tournament.

The Terriers (13-4) had a number of chances in the opening couple of minutes as London Steede-Jackson hit the post with a shot. The ricochet was served back in and then headed high by LaBrie.
Thomas missed another opportunity in the 22nd minute as a shot by senior midfielder Tre Ming (Devonshire, Bermuda / South Kent [CT]) from outside the 18 skimmed off the crossbar.

The Pilgrims (12-8-1) were able to keep the Terriers off the board in the first half despite being outshot 8-1 due to the leg of goalkeeper Tenzin Khenrab. Khenrab's long punts allowed NEC to fare well, if not hold the edge, in the battle for field position.

Thomas broke open the scoring the 66th minute as sophomore midfielder Willie Clemons (Paget,
Bermuda / Warwick Academy) put away a shot that spun off the side of Josh Emard's foot. Clemons nearly made it 2-0 a minute later, but his shot sailed high.

NEC got the equalizer in the 71st minute in the form of a successful penalty kick by Ronsard Masamba. The Pilgrims also got a spark from back-up keeper Dylan Mix. After entering the game in the 78th minute following an injury to Khenrab, Mix made three saves in the last few minutes as Thomas continued to apply pressure offensively.

In the overtime period, physical play on the part of both teams made an already intense atmosphere electric. Clemons nearly ended it after taking a service from Ming on the right side of the goal, but missed wide left. Kept in play, the Terriers cycled the ball back around to Ming. LaBrie, running nearly the same line as Clemons just had, took the long cross from Ming and headed it in to end the game.

Khenrab finished with four saves for NEC before yielding to Mix. Joakim Sternas had six saves in the win for the Terriers.

Thomas outshot NEC, 24-9, but the Pilgrims had the game's only two corner kicks. Clemons finished with six shots, two on goal, while LaBrie added five. Masamba led NEC with three shots.

The Terriers will host No. 2 seed Castleton in the NAC Championship game on Saturday at Smith Field at 1 p.m. Thomas defeated the Spartans, 3-0, on October 11 in Waterville.