WESTON, Mass. – Facing one of the top teams in New England, Regis College battled throughout the afternoon, but Babson College was able to earn a 2-0 victory Saturday afternoon in a non-conference men's collegiate soccer match at Regis Stadium.
Babson (3-2), ranked eighth in the region by the United Soccer Coaches last week, created a couple of early scoring chances, but were not successful. In the 28th minute, Mitchell Collins found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and he converted on his shot to give the Beavers a 1-0 lead.
The Pride did not let up, pushing forward through the rest of the first half, but they were called for offside five times within the final 12 minutes of the half. Early in the second half, Babson once again used its speed and ball control to gain possession, but shots by Ben Holman and Ryan Grund were stopped by Regis goalie Ivan Ramirez (San Juan, Puerto Rico).
In the 53rd minute, the Beavers added an insurance goal as Grund set up Collins on the left side for his second goal of the match. The play went back-and-forth for the next six minutes, with Ramirez and Babson goalie Austin Mankouski making two saves each.
Branden Tan (Bodrum, Turkey), the offensive hero last Saturday at Emerson, enjoyed an opportunity to cut into the Beaver lead, but his shot in the 68th minute was stopped by Mankouski. Ramirez kept the Pride close with two key saves late in the second half off shots by Giancarlo Arguello and Wyatt Clancy, but Regis could not sustain enough of an offensive attack to break into the scoring column.
Collins led all players with three total shots, including the two shots that went into the net. Ramirez finished with seven saves, while Mankouski earned three saves as he picked up the shutout victory.
Regis (1-2) heads to Henniker, N.H., to face New England College Tuesday, Sept. 17, starting at 4 p.m. before opening conference play at Colby-Sawyer next Saturday, Sept. 21, also at 4 p.m. Babson hosts Williams College Sunday, Sept. 15, beginning at 2 p.m.