Lemus Pena Lifts Warriors Past New Haven, 1-0, Saturday Night
Box Score | Lemus Pena Postgame Video Comments
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Senior striker Franklin Lemus Pena (Revere, Mass.) scored the game's only goal in the 24th minute, propelling the Merrimack men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over visiting New Haven to hand the home side its first Northeast-10 Conference victory on Saturday night at Martone-Mejail Field.
After dropping their previous two conference games by a goal in each match – including a 2-1 setback earlier this week against third-ranked Southern New Hampshire and a heartbreaking overtime loss at UMass-Lowell the week before – the Warriors (3-2-1, 1-2 NE-10) wound up on the winning side after Lemus Pena's heroics in the first half.
The Chargers (3-2-1, 1-1 NE-10) were stymied by a stout Merrimack defensive unit that posted its third shutout of the season, led by sophomore goalkeeper Jose Silva (Northborough, Mass.) who recorded seven saves in net for the home side compared to six stops for New Haven goalkeeper Anastasios Petridis.
After both teams exchanged early scoring chances, Lemus Pena gave the home crowd reason to cheer in the 24th minute. Senior back Nelson Santos Da Graca (Gothenburg, Sweden) came up with a loose ball from about 12 yards out and alertly dished to his left, where an awaiting Lemus Pena chipped it over Petridis to get the Warriors on the board.
That strike proved to be the difference, as neither side would find the back of the twine from there on out. Merrimack was the more opportunistic squad with an 17-11 advantage in shot attempts, while both teams finished with seven shots on net.
The two teams combined for 30 fouls, while New Haven held a 5-3 edge in corner kicks.
Next up, the Warriors open up a season-long four-game road trip, starting with a non-conference match on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at Bloomfield. First whistle is set for 4 p.m.
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