EAST BOSTON – Suffolk men's soccer punched its ticket to the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) semifinals in thrilling fashion Saturday afternoon. The fourth-seeded Rams came back in regulation and again in double overtime before the blue-and-gold prevailed 5-4 in a penalty-kick shootout against fifth-seed Salve Regina at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | Salve Regina 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (9-5-5) | Salve Regina (8-3-7)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
In an evenly paced a hand ball in the box cost Suffolk the first goal of the game as Jordan Borges converted his penalty kick into the game-opening goal to put the host in a 1-0 hole in the 26th minute.  

The Rams did not waste time to get that goal back as Carter Van Buskirk turned a Brady Sorensen into a game-tying goal just about four minutes later. The freshman zoomed into the box once Sorensen lofted the ball from the left side line and connected on the lower corner of the net to even matters at 1-all.  

With just about seven minutes to play before the first intermission the Rams were whistled for another hand ball in the box of the day. Not only did Suffolk get a red card for the infraction, but the Seahawks received their second penalty kick of the afternoon. This time Kenndy Prince connected to push the visitors in front again, 2-1.  

Playing a man-down the rest of the way Suffolk did not let up. The Rams maintained their composure in the chippy affair and attempted to even things up. As time winded down and Salve Regina was on the verge of celebrating, the blue-and-gold had other ideas. Sorensen headed a Tommy Handelsman threw in towards the Seahawks net and Jeremy Cooke picked up the pieces from Sorensen's header and turned it into the equalizer with 3:05 remaining in regulation.  

Neither team managed to score in the first OT to keep things locked at 2-all. Salve Regina poked one on the board 3:44 into the second extra stanza. Sam Winiarski took the ball down the right sideline, slipped a pass to Alec Quiroz, who dribbled past a Rams defense and fired opposite side of the net past Xander Balog to push the Seahawks in front.  

The Rams persistence continued to pay off as they responded 2:02 later. Taj Jensen lofted a leading pass to Sorensen who sent a high kick over Nathan Reid's gloves. The rock bounced once before rolling to the back of the net to tied it up again.  

Top-notch defensive efforts from both sides prevented any further damage.  

In the shootout, Jordan Borges connected for Salve Regina before Matthew Belluardo did his job for the Rams in the first round. 

On the second shot, Pierre Willis slid his shot home after Rich Ventura's attempt knocked off the cross bar to give the blue-and-gold an edge. 

The Seahawks managed to connect over the three ensuing roads and the Rams, Jack Phelps, Jensen and Buskirk, did not let the pressure get to them as they also put away their PKs to push Suffolk to the semis by a 5-4 PK shootout margin.   

NETMINDER NOTES

• Balog finished with four saves in the stalemate. 
• Reid recorded six stops in the draw.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Sorensen contributed one goal and two assists. 
• Cooke and Van Buskirk each tallied one goal. 
• Jensen and Handelsman had one assist apiece. 
• Suffolk outshot Salve Regina, 20-17, and had a 9-7 edge in shots on target. 
• The Seahawks had more corner chances, 7-4.   

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk played in the CCC Quarterfinals for the first time in program history. 
• The Rams hosted a CCC playoff game for the first time. 
• The blue-and-gold hosted a league tournament outing for the first time since 2016, fifth time overall. 
• Suffolk advances in the CCC postseason for the first time in program history. 
• The Rams move on to the CCC semifinals for the first time in program history. It is the sixth time in program history that Suffolk will move onto a league's semifinal, first since 2016. 
• Suffolk went into overtime in a postseason game for the first time since the 2008 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Quarterfinals, which ended in a 1-0 double overtime setback to Mount Ida. 
• The Rams went into a shootout for the first time in their record books. 
• The three goals scored in the playoff game is the most in a postseason game in Suffolk men's soccer's history.  
• Suffolk scored its first goal in the CCC postseason in program history.
• Suffolk and Salve Regina met in the postseason for the first time. 
• Suffolk and Salve Regina went into overtime for the first time in program history. 
• The Rams and Seahawks ended regulation even for the second time in as many meetings. 
• The blue-and-gold produced multiple goals versus the Seahawks for the fourth time in the all-time series. 
• The Rams tied the Seahawks in the second straight meeting. 
• The blue-and-gold improved to 0-1-2 versus Salve Regina under Bill Maddock's guidance. 
• With three goals, Suffolk tied the most goals scored versus Salve Regina in program history. The last time the Rams potted three goals against the Seahawks was in a 4-3 setback Sept. 19, 2016. 
• Cooke scored a goal in back-to-back games. 
• Sorensen tied a career-high two assists.  
• Sorensen set a new career best in points with four (1g, 2a).  

POST-GAME PIC
 

WHAT'S NEXT?
With the win, Suffolk advances to the CCC semifinals that sends the Rams to top-seeded Endicott Wednesday, Nov. 2.