Men's Soccer Hands No. 24 Springfield First Loss, 2-1, in OT

Box Score

Beavers Take Over First Place in the NEWMAC, Extend Unbeaten Streak Against the Pride to 17

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—Senior Adam Villari (Landsdale, Pa.) scored 7:59 into overtime to lift visiting Babson College to a 2-1 win over previously unbeaten and 24th-ranked Springfield College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) men's soccer action at Brock-Affleck Field on Saturday afternoon.

Babson, which is ranked 10th in the NSCAA regional poll and unbeaten in its last seven matches, improves to 7-4-3 overall and moves into first place in the conference standings at 4-1-0. Springfield, which entered the day as one of eight Division III teams without a loss, falls to 12-1-1 overall and 3-1-1 in the NEWMAC.

Senior Kofi Abankroh (Worcester, Mass.) scored his first career goal for the Beavers, who got seven saves from junior goalkeeper James Takami (Kenmore, Wash.).

Senior Luke Alvaro (Chicopee, Mass.) matched his own program record with his 16th marker of the season for the Pride, which got two saves from classmate Zach Richard (Millbury, Mass.).

Villari, who has scored the game-winning goal in each of Babson's last three league fixtures, touched home the rebound of his own header off the post for his fourth game-winning marker of the year. His finish came after first-year Youcef Ziad (Holbrook, Mass.) sent a shot just over the crossbar off a cross from Villari four minutes into overtime.

Abankroh gave the Green and White a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute when he converted a penalty kick following a foul in the box. The Beavers were whistled for a foul inside the Springfield box less than three minutes later, but Takami made a diving save to deny junior Douglas Enga's (Syosset, N.Y.) penalty.

The Pride leveled the match in the 56th minute when Alvaro gained control of the ball well outside the box and dribbled to his left before ripping a long shot that snuck inside the back post. Takami made a pair of saves following Alvaro's strike and neither side recorded a shot on target over the final 30 minutes of regulation.

Springfield finished with a 17-13 edge in shots and attempted six of the games' seven corner kicks.

Babson returns to action on Sunday when it hosts regionally-ranked Endicott at 2 p.m., while the Pride take on Suffolk on Monday at 4 p.m.

GAME NOTES
•   The Beavers are now 19-5-4 all-time against Springfield and extended their winning streak to 17 with Saturday's win going back to 2003.
•   Babson is 3-0-3 this season in overtime and is unbeaten in its last seven OT games.
•   The Beavers have won 12 straight league matches away from home going back to 2014.
•   The Green and White is 7-1-3 this season when conceding one goal or less.