SAINTS WIN LIBERTY LEAGUE AFTER

TIE WITH HOBART

Oct. 21: While there were no points on the scoreboard, the St. Lawrence University men’s soccer team walked off Sandy MacAllaster Field winners Sunday afternoon as the 0-0 tie in double overtime with the Hobart Statesmen gave the Saints the Liberty League regular season title. It is the first time since 2004 that the Saints have won the regular season title.

The Saints will host the Liberty League Tournament Friday, November 2nd and Saturday, November 3rd. Other teams competing in the tournament will include the Statesmen, Hamilton, and Union. St. Lawrence will face Hobart once again in the semifinals of the tournament.

The Statesmen nearly made it 1-0 game in the sixth minute after Philipp Schoeniger took a shot on the goal. Saints keeper Emilio Coletta came out to make an earlier save, but the ball deflected off him, giving Schoeniger an open net opportunity. Saints midfielder Paul LaMarca stepped into the net and blocked Schoeniger’s shot to maintain the scoreless game.

The Saints, who edged the Statesmen 20-16 in shots and 9-7 in shots on goal, had a number of opportunities to score, including four corners, but they were unable to convert on any of those plays. Seniors Axel Galeano and Chris Harrison both had two shots on Van Dellon, while Paul LaMarca, James Stewart, and Eric Walcott each had one.

Both keepers had exceptional days in between the posts as, Saints keeper Emilio Coletta made nine saves for St. Lawrence, while Hobart’s Peter Van Dellon had seven.

The Saints, who are now 8-2-4 overall and are 4-1-2 in the Liberty League will play two strong non-conference teams this upcoming week. They will face Plattsburgh on Tuesday, October 23rd at 3:00pm on their home turf, and will travel to Brockport, NY to face SUNY Brockport on Saturday.

SAINTS FALL IN OVERTIME TO HAMILTON, 2-1

Oct. 20: In a closely contested match on Sandy MacAllaster Field, the St. Lawrence men’s soccer team fell to Liberty League opponent Hamilton on Saturday afternoon, after the Continentals netted the game-winner in overtime to edge the Saints 2-1 in conference action.

St. Lawrence and Hamilton started out the period feverishly with both teams having two shots a piece within the first six minutes of the game. In the 8 th minute, Saints first year midfielder James Stewart took the ball down the far side of the pitch and crossed it to senior forward Chris Harrison, who was streaking down the middle of the field. Harrison got the ball up to junior midfielder Paul LaMarca, who beat the defenders and went one-on-one with Hamilton keeper Anthony Carello and shot the ball into the back of the net. LaMarca’s sixth goal of the season gave the Saints an early 1-0 lead over Hamilton.

Despite out-shooting the Continentals 14-7 in the first half, the Saints were only able to convert on LaMarca’s goal. A foul on the Saints in their defensive zone in the 43 rd minute gave Hamilton a dead ball from just outside the box. Hamilton’s Sam Dwyer crossed the ball to just in front of the goal, where there was a scramble for possession. Hamilton’s Dan Dropkin-Frank was able to touch the ball and get it to teammate Max Akumoah-Boateng who got it past Saints keeper Emilio Coletta to tie the Saints 1-1 with 2:16 remaining in the period.

Both teams were relentless in the second half and unwilling to give their opponent any kind of upper hand. Possession was shared between the Saints and Continentals with the Saints only having a 4-1 shot advantage come the end of regulation. St. Lawrence took three shots on Carello but were unable to get the ball past the keeper.

The Saints and Continentals kept the momentum up in overtime, but the Continentals prevailed with a 30-yard shot by Dwyer with only 14 seconds remaining on the clock. The ball sailed high into the back of the net, giving the Continentals the win and the Saints their first Liberty League loss of the 2007 season.

The Saints, now 8-2-3 overall and 4-1-1 in the conference, will host Hobart on Sunday and need a win or a tie to clinch the Liberty League regular season title and home advantage in the conference tournament. The game is set to begin at 1:00pm.