Late Goal Lifts Rutgers-Camden Over Men's Soccer In ECAC Championship First Round

Springfield, Mass. - November 13, 2021 - The Springfield College men's soccer program fell, 1-0, in overtime to Rutgers-Camden in a hard fought Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament First Round match with Rutger-Camden on Saturday afternoon. 

 The Pride close their season with a 10-8 record on the year. 

 Clayton Knibbs (Madison, Conn.) saved a pair of shots in the setback.

Through 45 minutes of action, Springfield and Rutger-Camden combined for just one shot on goal, which held the score at the half in a 0-0 tie. 

In the 60th-minute of the second half, the Raptors looked to find their edge as Parker Solowey ripped a shot, however the shot was redirected off the back of a Springfield defender and forced a corner kick. On the ensuing corner, Frankie Knapp was able to break free for the attempt with 60:07 on the clock, yet Knibbs made move to swallow up the try and keep the score at 0-0. The Pride continued to push for their chances in the latter part of the second frame as Thomas Sojka (Bellingham, Mass.) laid a shot on goal from the left side that seemed like a promising try, but Sean Boen came across and made the play on the ball. Springfield received another impressive try from Matthew Mela (Natick, Mass.) in the 84th-minute as the first-year unloaded a shot from straight away, which landed in the arms of Boen for another save. In the waning minute of the match, Rutgers-Camden came sprinting down the field for the game-winner only to be turned away by the swarming defense of Patrick Silva (Pittsfield, Mass.), which forced the overtime period. 

 The Pride's only chance in overtime came from Sojka at 92:55. Springfield then leaned on its defense once more as Knibbs broke up a pair of corner kick attempts in the 96th-minute. The Raptors were awarded another corner in the 97th-minute that bobbled around the box and landed to the body of Christian McCartney. McCartney corralled the free ball and guided in the score to advance the visitors.