Home | Championships | Schedule | Standings | Statistics | Awards | Directory
About the NEWMAC
Championships
Directories
Directions
Sportsmanship
S.A.A.C.
Employment
Admin Section








Oct 31, 2007

Drake's Late-Tally Lifts Springfield Men's Soccer Past Coast Guard in NEWMAC Quarterfinals

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - October 31, 2007

-  - Junior forward Brett Drake (Enfield, Conn.) scored the game-winning goal in the 85th minute of play off an assist from senior forward Chad Bonnell (Hazlet, N.J.) to down Coast Guard Academy 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the New England Men's and Women's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament.

With the win, the Pride improve to 9-7-2 while the Bears fall to 9-6-1.

The first goal came off of the foot of Coast Guard's David O'Brien three minutes into action.  SC sophomore forward Adrian Schippers (Ashby, Mass.) had the equalizer in the 16th minute of play when he scored on a direct kick taken by junior midfielder Myles Tilton (Plymouth, Mass.).  After a seven-game layoff due to injury, Schippers netted his eighth of the season, knotting the contests at one.  

With under six minutes to play, a loose ball in the box found the foot of Bonnell.  Bonnell's initial shot was blocked by a Coast Guard defender, but Drake was waiting in the wings, and hammered home the rebound from eight yards out.

Late in the game, Coast Guard had two terrific scoring opportunities.  In the 73rd minute, David O'Brien headed a ball that graced off of the goalpost, past SC goalkeeper BJ Sturdivant (Bear, Del.).  However, senior back Michael Kilmartin (Waterford, N.Y.) saved the goal as he acrobatically bicycle kicked the ball off the goal line.

The Bears final chance came with only 48 seconds remaining in the game. Coast Guard's Larry Sheetz ripped a shot from 15 yards out on the left hand side, only to have a Sturdivant preserve the victory as he laid-out horizontally for a sensational save to snuff out the Bears final chance.

Springfield advances to take on the second seeded Babson College Beavers in the semifinals of the NEWMAC tournament at Wheaton on Saturday November 3, 2007.