GOMEZ LIFTS PRIDE OVER NIGHTHAWKS IN DOUBLE-OT

WESTON, Mass. – Don Gomez (Lynn, Mass.) scored in the 104th minute off a rebound to give the Regis College men's soccer team a hard-fought 3-2 win in double overtime over visiting Newbury College on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Weston, Mass. The Pride pick up their first New England Collegiate Conference win of the year and move to 1-2 in the NECC and 4-9 overall. Newbury drops to 3-9-1 overall and 1-1 in league games with the setback.

Newbury took a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute as Rodriquez Pierre (Somerville, Mass.) played a through ball to Milton Ricaurte (Barranquilla, Colombia) that left the senior one-on-one with the Regis keeper Manny Calderon (Bristol, Conn.). Ricaurte went opposite post for the goal as the Nighthawks grabbed the early advantage.

Regis answered five minutes later as Amandio Ferreira (Dorchester, Mass.) was taken down outside the box leading to a free kick. Fernando Tomé (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) took the kick and played a perfect ball into the box that was headed home near post by Dillon Lanctot (Somersworth, N.H.). The Pride took their first lead of the game in the 18th minute as Ferreira crossed the ball into the box to Brendan Plasczynski (Bristol, Conn.) and the freshman headed home his second tally of the year.

Newbury turned up their attack and broke through with the equalizer in the 29th minute. Ricaurte gained possession inside the Regis box and turned and fired on net, but the ball was blocked away by the Regis defender. Rodriquez Pierre corralled the loose ball and played a shot off the outside of his right foot that tucked just inside the opposite post to make it a 2-2 game.

The game entered the half a 2-2 stalemate and remained that way throughout the second half. Brendan Plasczysnki had a chance in the 55th minute when he corralled a free kick, lost his defender and fired on what appeared to be an open net. Newbury's Greg Brooks (Amityville, N.Y.) stepped in front of the shot before it crossed the line to save the goal, but it landed back at Plasczynski's feet. He fired again and this time Newbury's keeper Woodjerry Dieudonne (Dorchester, Mass.) was there for the save.

Newbury's best chance came in the 82nd minute of play as Alex Davis (Gloucester, Mass.) played a free kick into the box, but the Regis defense failed to clear, and the ball ended up in possession of Emmett Dixon (Providence, R.I.) at the top of the box. Dixon fired on frame, but Manny Calderon stood his ground and made the straight-away save to preserve the 2-2 score.

Both teams had chances over the final five minutes of play, but neither team could get a shot on net as the game spilled into overtime.

The first overtime was dominated by the Nighthawks as they attempted four shots and three corners in extra time. On back-to-back corners, Newbury had chances, but a shot from Pierre was blocked away, and then a header by Dixon was turned away by Calderon. On the next corner, Dixon was able to get his head on the ball, but it sailed wide. Regis' Lanctot had a shot in the 98th minute, but Dieudonne was there for the stop and the game went to a second overtime.

This time the Pride controlled play as they outshot Newbury 3-0 in the period. In the 104th minute, Amandio Ferreira took a shot that was turned away by Woodjerry Dieudonne. On the ensuing clear attempt, Regis regained possession and Plasczynski dribbled his way through two defenders to get into the box and take a shot on the Newbury netminder. Dieudonne was there for the first save, but the ball caromed out to Gomez, who fired on the open net and sent the Pride home with the thrilling 3-2 victory.

The Pride held a 23-18 edge in shot and also led 10-8 in corner kicks. Manny Calderon made five saves to earn his second win of the season. Woodjerry Dieudonne turned away seven shots in the setback.

The Crimson and Gold return to action on Monday afternoon when they travel to Daniel Webster College for a 4:00 p.m. NECC matchup. Newbury will host Lesley University on Tuesday afternoon in a 3:00 p.m. league contest.