Men's Soccer Suffers 2-0 Setback to AIC
NORTH ANDOVER, MA – The Merrimack men's soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision to American International Saturday afternoon at Warrior Field. The Warriors dip to 4-2-2 overall and 2-2-0 in the Northeast-10 Conference. The Yellow Jackets claim their first league victory of the year to progress to 1-3-0 in the conference and 2-4-1 overall.
Thomas Denomme gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute. Denomme unleashed a strike from outside the penalty box that bent into the far right post. Andreas Hauge and Miguel Rodriguez-Lapman both recorded assists on the score.
The Warriors nearly knotted the game late in the opening half. Robbie Sabadoz (Ottawa, Ontario) slotted a through-ball to Brian Clevesy (Groveland, MA) down the left side. Clevesy swung in a low cross and Elvert Bodden's (La Ceiba, Honduras) one-time shot from the six-yard line went just wide of the cage.
Despite American International's one-goal advantage at the halfway point of the match, Merrimack held an 11-5 edge in shots. The Warriors also earned all three corner kicks awarded in the first frame.
Denomme added his second goal of the game in the 55th minute. Conor Doyle crossed the ball from the end line to Denomme, who finished it into the empty net from the left post.
Midway through the second half, Michael Rincon (Medford, MA) dribbled down the left side at the goal. Rincon lured the goalkeeper out of the net before lofting a cross to the far post. Sabadoz latched onto the end of Rincon's cross but his volley went into the outside of the net.
Mattias Drummond (Partille, Sweden) made a pair of saves on the day for Merrimack in goal. Jason Ryan stopped 10 shots for the Yellow Jackets to earn the win.
The Warriors concluded the contest with 23 shots while American International registered 11. Merrimack earned all nine corner kicks in the match.
"We had our scoring chances today but we just couldn't put it into the back of the net. Our levels of focus and determination need to be higher and constant," said head coach Tony Martone.
The Warriors remain at home as they welcome Saint Anselm for a Northeast-10 Conference tilt September 27.
