BABSON PARK, Mass.—Graduate student Ben Williams (Scarborough, Ontario) scored the only goal of the match in the 63rd minute as No. 13/15 Babson College defeated Emerson College, 1-0, in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament final on Saturday afternoon at Hartwell-Rogers Field.

With its sixth consecutive victory, top-seeded Babson (15-3-2) claimed its third consecutive NEWMAC Tournament championship and first on its home turf since 2011. Second-seeded Emerson, which was picked to finish last in the league's preseason poll, finishes the season at 10-3-6.

Senior Noah Labelle (Bradenton, Fla.) and junior Ryan Kim (San Ramon, Calif.) recorded assists for the Beavers, who got three saves from sophomore goalkeeper Walker White (Coral Gables, Fla.).

Sophomore Ethan Fitzsimmons (Harvard, Mass.) finished with eight saves for the Lions.

The Green and White outshot Emerson 8-1 over the opening 45 minutes but Fitzsimmons was able to make four comfortable saves, while senior Ross Shellow (Miami, Fla.) sent a pair of shots from distance just wide of the left post. Emerson also avoided disaster just before halftime when Babson senior Samuel Smith (Farmington, Maine) intercepted a back pass intended for Fitzsimmons but was unable to get off a shot after touching it past the goalkeeper and toward the end line.

The Beavers' early second-half pressure paid off when Williams, who was selected as the NEWMAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, notched his 12th goal of the year at the 62:58 mark. Senior Mitchell Collins (Burlington, Mass.) played the ball across the field to Kim on the left flank and his service into the box was headed back across the goal mouth by Labelle for Williams, who flicked a header into the open net.

Fitzsimmons made diving saves to keep the margin at one on Williams in the 76th minute and Collins in the 81st minute. Emerson's best chance to pull even came in the 73rd minute following a foul 25 yards from goal, but junior Thomas Chuaqui's (El Cerrito, Calif.) free kick rolled harmlessly to White.

The Beavers finished the afternoon with an 18-5 edge in shots and attempted all three corner kicks in the game.

Babson will find out who and where it will be playing in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament when the pairings are announced on Monday at 1:30 p.m.

GAME NOTES
• The Beavers are 10-0 all-time against Emerson.
• Babson has now won 10 NEWMAC Tournament championships, which includes three straight on two occasions (2008-10, 2019-22) and five of the last eight titles dating back to 2014.
• The Beavers have kept six consecutive clean sheets and have not conceded a goal in 595:03 going back to a 3-1 win at WPI on October 15.
• The Green and White is 14-0-2 this season when allowing one goal or fewer.
• Babson has won 12 consecutive games against NEWMAC opponents dating back to October of last year.