Stevens Defeated In NCAA First Round

Stevens Defeated In NCAA First Round

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WALTHAM, Mass. (NOVEMBER 14, 2015) – A penalty kick goal 7:37 into the first overtime period sent Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute past the Stevens Institute of Technology men's soccer 2-1 on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament first round.
 
The Ducks end their season at 15-4-2, while RPI moved to 12-4-2 and will play host Brandeis University tomorrow in the second round.
 
Stevens jumped out of the gate strong, putting a shot towards the net just 28 seconds in. RPI had two shots in the sixth and 10th minute, but both attempts were deflected before reaching the goal. The Ducks best chance came in the 14th minute, as a shot by junior Jay Mikula was snared by the goalie. With time dwindling down in the opening half, the Engineers took a shot that was grabbed by junior Mike Renna in net.
 
RPI opened the scoring in the 54th minute, as Nathaniel Gunderson took a threw ball from Matt Carberry and chipped it over Renna for his sixth goal of the year. The Ducks thought they had found the equalizer in the 66th minute, but the play was whistled for an offside.
 
Stevens had another goal waved off in the 69th minute due to a foul in the box. A shot by freshman Andrew Masur was heading towards the goal line, but the Engineers Dan Graybill made a great defensive play to clear the ball off the end line before crossing. The Ducks finally evened the game with 1:26 to go in the second stanza, as senior Jeff Althoff one-touched a great feed from classmate Carson Pryor for his third marker of the year.
 
The Ducks had the first two chances in the extra session, as shots by junior Patrick Masur and sophomore Tommy Dorsay. Shortly after the Dorsay attempt, the Ducks were whistled for a foul in their own box, setting up a penalty kick. Paul Letine stepped up to the spot and drilled the PK for his fifth goal of the season, and sent the Engineers into the next round.
 
Pryor led the team with five shots, while seniors Colin Phillips, Matteo Sturla and Mikula each recorded a pair of shots.
 
Gunderson and Devon Baughen led RPI with three shots, while Ryan Nealon made five saves in net.