WESTON, Mass. – Battling rainy conditions throughout the night, Regis College was able to convert on enough scoring chances for a 3-0 victory over Elms College Monday night in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference men's soccer match at Regis Stadium.
After an early feeling-out period, the action intensified as the first half moved along. In the 22nd minute, Santiago Pedraza Novak (Bogota, Colombia) found Marcos Rivera (San Juan, Puerto Rico) in the center of the box, and Rivera converted on a scoring chance for his first goal of the season.
Elms made several charges up the field to attempt to tie the match, but shots by Michael Lemke and Justin Szwajkowski were turned away by Regis goalie Ivan Ramirez (San Juan, Puerto Rico). With less than three minutes remaining in the first half, Zack Acciardo (Derry, N.H.) received a pass from Pedraza Novak and sent a shot towards goal that deflected into the net to give the Pride a 2-0 advantage heading into halftime.
The Blazers continued to press the play in the second half, but they could not get a shot on goal as their chances were either blocked or sailed high. In the 83rd minute, Federico Lavini-Ayalla (Weston, Fla.) raced down the left side of the field and sent a crossing pass into the box. Pedraza Novak redirected the ball towards Rivera, who chipped it into the net for his second goal of the night.
Ramirez finished with three saves as he earned his second victory of the season, playing all but the final 2:35 of the match when he was replaced by Kyle Weidemann (Piscataway, N.J.). Elms keeper Collin Liedke was credited with three saves as the Blazers finished with a slight total shot advantage, 11-9.
Regis College (5-4, 3-3 GNAC) is off until Saturday, Oct. 9, when the Pride makes the short trip to Newton to face Lasell University for a 12 p.m. kickoff. Elms College (4-7, 3-5 GNAC) hosts Anna Maria Wednesday, Oct. 6, beginning at 4 p.m.
