GOMEZ GOAL NOT ENOUGH, PRIDE FALL IN NECC OPENER

WESTON, Mass. - Regis College sophomore Don Gomez scored his second goal of the season, but it wasn't enough as the Regis College Men's soccer team dropped the New England Collegiate Conference opener to defending champion Elms College 2-1 on Saturday during Pride Fest at Regis Stadium. With the loss, the Crimson & Gold fall to 2-7 (0-1-0, NECC) and with the victory the Blazers move to 3-4-2 (1-0-0, NECC)

Elms opened up the game fast with a scoring chance a minute and twenty second into the contest. Blazer freshman forward Bobby Zaino (Avon, Conn.) tried to sneak a header off an attempted shot but was stopped by Pride goalie Manny Calderon (Bristol, Conn.).

Regis had a chance to draw first blood in the contest as the Pride were driving to the Blazer zone but were fouled and that set up a free kick. The ball was then crossed into the box right to Regis defender Collin Thurston (Temecula, Calif.). Thurston decided to head the ball towards the net, but his attempt went wide and the game remained scoreless.

Manny Calderon then faced two shots in a one minute span. Bobby Zaino placed a shot from the box that was turned away by Calderon. The Pride goalie then cleared the ball, but the ball was taken away and Lorenzo Rolocut (Somers, Conn.) had a breakaway chance but his shot hit the crossbar and went out of play.

At the 16:30 mark, the Blazers had a corner kick chance but was thwarted by the Pride defensive unit and was cleared out of play. The clear however set up Elms' first goal of the game. Lorenzo Rolocut took the ball off a throw-in and dished it off to Bobby Zaino. Zaino headed it past Manny Calderon and gave the Blazers the early 1-0 advantage.

Regis countered about two minutes later as Chandler Neiswanger (Roy, Utah) had a scoring opportunity but his shot sailed wide of the net. The Blazers then raced down the field and had numbers. Elms defender Anthony Nitri (Feeding Hills, Mass.) ripped a cross into the box and Zaino was there waiting again and headed it into the back of the net just past a leaping Calderon and increased the Elms' advantage to two.

Three minutes after the Blazer goal, Pride defender Brendan Plasczynski (Bristol, Conn.) forced a turnover just past midfield and then saw a streaking Don Gomez (Lynn, Mass.) down the right side of the field. Plasczynski perfectly placed a through ball to Gomez who saw Blazer goalie Christian Kostka (Oxford, Mass.) cheating out of the net. Kostka made a diving attempt at the ball, but failed and Gomez found himself with an open net and buried his second goal of the season and cut the Regis deficit to one.

The Pride had two more chances during the second half to knot up the score. The first was during the 54 minute mark when Devin Brady (Springfield, Vt.) received a pass and promptly looked up and gave it right back to Gomez who was streaking down the turf. Gomez speed distanced him from the Blazer defense and he found himself with an opportunity to tie the score. He then ripped a shot from the left side but he didn't bend it enough as it hit the post and the Regis chance was thwarted. The Crimson & Gold's last stitch efforts off a corner kick chance went down the drain as the Blazer defense headed the ball away out of their defensive end.

The Pride were outshot by the Blazers 14-7 during the contest and Regis held a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks. Christian Kostka made one save and earned his first win on the year. Manny Calderon stopped six shots but earned his first conference loss during the defeat. With the two scoring tallies, Bobby Zaino took sole possession of the conference lead in goals (5).

Regis looks to rebound when they host non-conference foe Eastern Nazarene on 10/01 in Weston, Mass. Game-time is slated for 5 p.m.