Montclair, NJ - Junior forward
MIKE OLLA put back a rebound with 11:52 remaining as Montclair State survived a scare from Daniel Webster before posting a 3-2 victory in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship at Sprague Field on Saturday evening.
AARON ROSE and
JOHN STARNER each had goals for the Red Hawks (19-2-1), who now advance to Sunday's second round where they will meet defending national champion Tufts at 6:00 pm with the winner of that contest moving on to the NCAA Sectional Tournament next weekend. Tufts advanced with a 2-1 win over Salisbury.
Ian Hutchinson and Matheus Faria each scored for Daniel Webster, which finished its season at 18-4. The Eagles, champions of the New England Collegiate Conference, had their 16-game winning streak snapped in the process as it fell for the first time since September 16.
Montclair State dominated the first half taking 13 of the 14 shots in the period. Starner got the first score for the Red Hawks knocking in a ball off a corner kick at the 17:38 mark. It was his first goal of the season. DWC keeper Cooper Hall kept the Eagles close with four saves in the opening period including a pair of stops against
KYLE GOODWIN in the 24th and 30th minutes.
MSU took its one-goal lead into the second half and added to its as Rose netted his seventh of the season at 52:10. Olla made a perfect crossing pass to Rose who one-touched the feed inside the left post making the score 2-0.
Daniel Webster quickly responded as Hutchinson scored just over two minutes later. Joseano Tavares sent a cross from the top of th box over to the right wing where Hutchinson buried into the left side of the net cutting the deficit to 21 with 35:32 left in the second half. Montclair State keeper
MIKE SAALFRANK and Hall each made saves in the next 13 minutes before Daniel Webster tied the game with at the 70:38 mark when Tavares set up Faria for the goal.
Hall and Saalfrank again traded saves in the 77th and 78th minutes before Montclair State regained the lead.
MIKE TARANTO fired a shot from the top of the box that was blocked. Fortunate for MSU, the carom came out on the right side to Olla, who put back the rebound inside the right post for the go-ahead goal.
Hall finished with nine saves for Daniel Webster with Saalfrank making his two in the final 45 minutes. MSU finished with a 29-5 advantage in shots and took all 13 corner kicks in the contest.
