Box Score BABSON PARK, Mass.—Junior Daniel Morales' (San Diego, Calif.) free kick goal with less than six minutes to play, salvaged a 1-1 tie for #6/9 UMass Boston men's soccer against host Babson College on Tuesday afternoon.
THE BASICS
#6/9 UMass Boston 1, Babson College 1
(UMass Boston 10-0-1)
(Babson College 5-4-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Despite dominating possession and owning the majority of the shots and the corners throughout most of the game, UMass Boston found themselves trailing late in regulation.
Babson goalie James Takami gave the Beacons the only chance they would need, when the junior keeper picked up a back pass from one of his own players inside the box. On the ensuing indirect free kick, junior Marcelo Cunha (Goiania, Brazil) barely tapped the ball and Morales rocketed a shot past Takami into the top netting for a 1-1 tie.
The Beacons would continue to create chances throughout the end of regulation and in both overtime sessions, but would have to settle for their first tie of the season.
Freshman keeper Omar Castro-Dreher (Woonsocket, R.I.) stopped two of the three shots he faced. Babson goal in the 27th minute snapped UMass Boston's nation-leading seven-game shutout streak and ended their program-record setting scoreless streak at 685:25.
Babson's Youcef Ziad scored his first collegiate goal for the hosts, while Caleb Long was credited with the assist. Takami stopped eight shots in the tie to move to 5-4-3 on the season.
The Beacons came out firing in the match and nearly took the lead on several occasions in the first 15 minutes. Sophomore Mohamed Kenawy (Revere, Mass.) had his initial shot cleared off the line by a Babson player, before hitting the crossbar in the opening 54 seconds. UMass Boston added several more good looks off corner kicks, but Cunha, Edmilson Barros (Praia, Cape Verde) and Jake Davenport (Weymouth, Mass.) each had their shots just miss the cage.
UMass Boston regained some of their composure after the break, with Luis Tavares (Praia, Cape Verde) providing a spark in central midfield. After creating some great chances in the first 35 plus minutes, the Beacons received the chance they needed with the indirect free kick.
In overtime, Barros, Ocane Williamson (Spanish Town, Jamaica) and Calvin Smick (Wilmington, Del.) all had great chances but couldn't put it past the Beavers keeper.
BY THE NUMBERS
- UMass Boston owned a 34-7 edge in shots, a 10-2 advantage in shots on goal and a 19-1 lead in corner kicks.
- The Beacons earned their first-ever result against the Beavers, improving to 0-4-1.
- With the tie, UMass Boston stretched their unbeaten streak to a school record 11 games to start a season. The 11-game stretch also breaks the program record for an unbeaten streak, set by last year's team.
- Morales, who was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National Player of the Week on Tuesday, has now scored seven goals in his past two games.
WHO'S NEXT
The Beacons will return home for only the second time this season, when they host UMass Dartmouth Saturday at 7 p.m.
