Suffolk University’s men’s soccer team traveled to face the top-seeded Western New England University Golden Bears Oct. 31 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference semifinals. The Rams’ season came to an end, falling to the Golden Bears in penalty kicks.
The loss drops Suffolk’s semi-final record to 2-4-0 all-time and their playoff record under head coach Bill Maddock to 2-4-1. The Rams are just 1-9-0 against WNE since 2002, with their last win coming in 2003.
The Rams fell into a 1-0 hole in the 16th minute when Mike Riley scored for WNE. That would prove to be the only goal scored in the first half, as the score was 1-0 WNE at halftime.
WNE got back on the scoreboard in the 46th minute when Sam Riley beat Suffolk goalie Xander Balog to put the Golden Bears ahead 2-0.
Senior midfielder Pierre Willis got the Rams on the board in the 66th minute with a penalty kick goal, cutting the deficit to 2-1. With time winding down, junior defenseman Tommy Handelsman scored, tying the game and forcing overtime.
Both overtimes went without a goal, sending the match into penalty kicks to decide the game. Suffolk and WNE had two goals each through three rounds and three goals through five.
In the sixth round, Roger Leland scored for WNE. Junior forward Matteo Simonini couldn’t convert on his chance for the Rams, ending their season.
Balog was the starting goalie for the Rams, making seven saves on nine shots from the WNE attack. Braylon Casinghino was the netminder for the Golden Bears, stopping three of Suffolk’s five shots.
The Rams now look ahead to next season as they look to continue pushing for a conference championship with five seniors potentially departing.
