BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – Suffolk's late score was not enough as the men's soccer team could not complete the comeback and fell to Mass. Maritime, 2-1, in its season opener Saturday afternoon at Clean Harbors Stadium.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1, Mass. Maritime 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (0-1) | Mass. Maritime (1-0)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk found itself in a two-goal hole after the first 45 minutes, which the Buccaneers commanded, dominating shots 14-4. A pair of MMA's attempts, both off the boot of Benjamin Cook, got past the Rams' keeper in a nine-minute span to give the hosts their two-goal lead.
Cook's opening blow came in the 12th minute on a breakaway, slipping around David Haines on the left side. Eight minutes later Cook put the Buccaneers on top by two with his second goal of the afternoon with a hard shot from 20-yards out that drilled the back of the net.
The Buc's continued to pressure Haines as Andrew Wayrynen launched a header off a cross from Cook that forced Haines to make a leaping save. Brady Lemmon slammed a ball of the post and Jacob Crawford launched a header off a corner shot by Zach O'Neil as the Buc's kept the heat on Haines throughout the first frame.
Out of the locker room the tides shifted in Suffolk's favor as it commended possession, holding the Bucs to just four attempts, one on target over the second half. The Rams, meanwhile, fired off 10 shots and peppered Maritime's keeper Mitch Hardy with three.
Jordan Casey andAndrew Collari led Suffolk's vigorous attack testing MMA's back line of Ben Paine, Nick Van Ness, Kyle Daly and Jack Pforr, who fought off the Ram attack until there were 20 minutes left to playand Tucker Mee put the blue-and-gold on the board. The sophomore defensemen took a ball from Leonardo Acosta and fired a rocket past the outstretched reach of Hardy.
Suffolk was unable to build momentum off Mee's strike, however, as Maritime held off a comeback to hang onto the 2-1 victory.
KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS
- Haines stopped seven stops in between the pipes for the Rams.
- Hardy made two saves to secure the win for the Buccaneers.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Mee recorded the lone goal for the Rams, while Acosta registered a point with an assist on Mee's marker.
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk and Mass. Maritime met for the second straight season in the Rams' season opener.
- Mee registered the second goal of his career.
- Acosta notched his first collegiate point.
POST-GAME PIC
COMING UP
Suffolk has a quick turnaround as it is back in action in less than 24 hours, hosting Rhode Island College in its home opener tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 1. Game time at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park is scheduled for 1 p.m.