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.
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