This week in Suffolk University sports: men’s soccer continues September hot streak, women’s soccer bounces back, women’s golf breezes to two more wins and volleyball stumbles to four straight losses.
Men’s soccer continuing September surge
Men’s soccer traveled across the Charles River for a Sept. 24 showdown with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Entering the half trailing 1-0 to the Engineers, freshman Mohamed Mehaya scored twice in a 17 minute span for the Rams to put them ahead 2-1, a lead they would not relinquish to improve to 4-2-2. Ian Caldwell was strong in goal for the Rams, with the sophomore making six saves in the win.
The Rams kept the momentum rolling against Curry College Sept. 27, improving to 5-2-2 with a 4-0 shutout of the Colonels. Diego Pierantozzi, Zach Vlachos and Ryan Chamberlain netted goals in the first half before Matthew Belluardo added insurance in the second half.
Mehaya had two assists for the Rams, while Belluardo and Vlachos each had a goal and an assist. Nathan Harlow stood tall in net for Suffolk, putting together his third shutout of the season with a seven-save shutout
The Rams resumed a suspended game against Dean College at East Boston Memorial Park Sept. 30. The game was halted in August with Suffolk holding a 3-2 lead with just over 11 minutes to go in the first half.
Upon resumption, Vlachos scored with five minutes left in the first half to give the Rams a two goal cushion at halftime. In the second half, Mehaya and Christian Gardner scored to give the Rams a comfortable 6-2 win.
While Harlow was in goal when the game started in August, Caldwell and Carter Sewell also saw action in net when the game resumed. Sewell made his NCAA debut as both goalkeepers each made one save on the only shot they faced.
Women’s soccer wins consecutive games
After their first loss of the season against Endicott College, women’s soccer bounced back on the road, taking down Worcester State University 2-1. After allowing a goal to the Lancers in the 13th minute, the Rams got goals in the second half from Avery Porter and Daniela Petronio as Arden Rose made seven saves in net to secure the comeback win.
No comeback was needed against Curry Sept. 27, as the Rams scored early and often in a dominant 6-0 rout of the Colonels. Six different Rams scored goals, with Isa Peraza and Tatum Flynn scoring in the first half before Molly Knight, Petronio, Lily Goldmann and Ella Marmash netted goals in the second half. Rose secured shutout number five of the season with two saves.
Volleyball stumbles at weekend tournament
Volleyball played their first Conference of New England match of the season as they welcomed the Johnson & Wales University Wildcats to the Ridgeway gym Sept. 24. While each set was tight all the way through, the Rams had enough to beat the Wildcats in 3-1 fashion, only the third time they have beaten Johnson & Wales in program history.
Fortunes quickly turned when they traveled to Pennsylvania to play in the Swarthmore Invitational. Against the University of Scranton, Swarthmore College and Stockton University, the Rams lost 3-0 to all three opponents, heading back to Boston with a 6-10 record.
Once they got back to Boston, it was time for a Sept. 30 CNE matchup against Roger Williams University. The Rams wound up on the wrong side of another 3-0 decision, losing sets one and two by identical 25-19 scores and set three by a 25-23 margin.
Women’s golf blazing through fall schedule
Simply put, no one has been able to slow down women’s golf this fall. Competing at the Hartford tri-match Sept. 27, shooting a +63 on the day to win the competition, beating Hartford University by 10 strokes and Vassar College by 13 strokes. Krisna Mahendran, Emory Goodson and Brooke Bugajewski came in second, third and fourth individually.
The next day, the Rams’ winning streak reached three as they took first place out of seven teams at the Keene State College Invitational. The combined score of 332 by the Rams was 41 strokes better than Keene State, who finished in second place. The Rams swept the individual podium, as Mahendran finished in first, Goodson in second and Bugajewski in third. Only one more invitational remains for the Rams before they chase a CNE championship in October.
Women’s tennis still searching for first win
Still in search of win number one on the season, women’s tennis took on Gordon College in their home opener Sept. 24, being swept 7-0 to drop to 0-6 to begin the season and 0-3 in CNE play.
Against the University of New England Sept. 30, the Rams picked up two singles wins against the Nor’Easters but lost the rest of singles play and the doubles point, resulting in a 5-2 loss to drop Suffolk to 0-7 overall and 0-4 in conference play.
