Box ScoreNorton, Mass. - November 4, 2009 - The Springfield College men's soccer team's season came to a close on Wednesday afternoon as it lost a 2-1 decision at Wheaton College in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament Quarterfinals.
With the loss, the 7th-seeded Pride finishes the season with a 5-13-1 overall record. Wheaton, the #2 seed and ranked tied for 18th nationally, ups its record to 17-3-1, and advances to its 10th straight semifinal round.
Wheaton freshman Cecil Jeffrey (Framingham, MA/Rivers School) turned in his first career game-winner, coming in the 75th minute, while junior Yuri Moreira (Marlboro, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) posted his conference-best 16th goal in the opening half on a long assist from junior keeper Cole Davidson (Needham, MA/Salisbury School), who also finished with two stops. Wheaton held edges of 11-7 in shots and 7-5 in corner kicks.
Springfield freshman Alex Reilly (Ledyard, CT/Ledyard) provided the tying marker in the 58th minute, while classmate Chris Walton (Cromwell, CT/Cromwell) had three saves.
Davidson earned the assist after booting the ball three quarters of the field to a streaking Moreira, who carried the ball down the right side before blasting his shot from inside the box into the upper left netting at 17:27. The Lyons took six of the first-half's seven shots, with the Pride's lone attempt coming off a free kick.
After an apparent Wheaton goal was negated due to an offsides call early in the second frame, Springfield knotted the contest shortly thereafter. Reilly collected a loose ball in the middle of the field and outside the box before drilling his shot to the right side of the target and beyond the reach of a diving Davidson at 57:39.
With each team playing a man short for the final 31:39 of the second half, the hosts took the lead for good with 15:16 to go. From the right end line, freshman Max Swanson (Lexington, MA/Lexington) broke down a couple of Springfield defenders before freeing himself for a quick cross to an oncoming Jeffrey, who tucked away his shot into the lower right corner of the net at 74:44.
Steffen Siebert enters his second season at the helm of the Springfield College men's soccer program in the fall of 2013. After three seasons as an assistant coach, Siebert led the Pride to its second-straight trip to the NEWMAC Championship in his first season. Read more.