Sept. 7, 2011

Box Score

NEW LONDON, Conn. - The Emmanuel College Men's Soccer Team played to its third-straight draw on Wednesday evening, knotting up Mitchell College, 1-1, after two overtimes. The Saints' three-game unbeaten streak is the program's best start to the season in several years. Mitchell (1-0-1 overall) scored in the first half and led with 20 minutes remaining in regulation before the Saints (0-0-3 overall) equalized in the 74th minute. Each team had chances in the overtime periods but came up empty at the rain-soaked Alumni Field.

Mitchell struck in the 33rd minute when freshman Taylor Surette (East Longmeadow, Mass.) sent a looping pass from the midfield stripe over the defense to classmate Frank Williams (Westerly, R.I.). Williams settled the ball and placed his shot into the left corner of the goal for his second tally of the season. This marker was the first that Saints rookie keeper Garrett Charette (West Springfield, Mass.) has allowed in his three collegiate starts.

Emmanuel threatened to tie the game early in the second half on back-to-back possessions. The first saw Juan Levy (Andover, Mass.) fire a shot from near point-blank range that was stopped by Mitchell goalkeeper Kevin Woodford (Niantic, Conn.). On the next Saints possession, Kevin Shirley (Madison, Conn.) got his head on a cross but saw his shot trickle wide of the far post.

A steady rain began to fall in the middle of the second half but it didn't deter the Saints. Emmanuel finally broke through by taking advantage of a free kick yielded by a foul eight yards outside the Mitchell box. Sophomore midfielder Danny Richman (Medfield, Mass.) took the kick and drilled a rocket over the Mariners' wall and inside the left post. It was the first goal of the season for Richman as well as the team's first of the year.

The best scoring chance in extra time came in the 94th minute when Mitchell senior James Gleason (Old Lyme, Conn.) had a clean look from the left side, but shot directly into the chest of Charette, who came out to cut off the angle and keep the game deadlocked. Charette finished with three saves in the contest while Woodford had five for the Mariners.

Mitchell returns to action at home against Anna Maria College on Saturday, September 10th at 3 p.m. Emmanuel will next host Johnson & Wales University for its home opener and first GNAC contest of the season on Saturday at 1 p.m.