CHICOPEE, MASS. - The New England College men's soccer team earned themselves a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) 2-0 victory over the Blazers of Elms College on Saturday at Leary Field in Chicopee, Massachusetts.

THE BASICS
Score:     New England College 2, Elms College 0
Records:  Pilgrims 3-2-2, 2-1-1 GNAC | Blazers 3-4-0, 2-2-0 GNAC

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Scoring chances for the 'Grims came early and often as the first four plays of the game were all corner kicks but none closer than the final corner kick attempt at 40:29 that helped create a scoring opportunity for freshman midfielder Ndhego Zikusoka (Entebbe, Uganda) but his shot would result in a wide attempt being unsuccessful in finding its mark on goal.
• The offense of NEC was on the attack for the majority of the first half creating a variety of chances for the team to get on the scoreboard in the conference matchup. A big shot comes off the foot of sophomore midfielder Santino Stabholz (Buenos Aires, Argentina) at 36:32 as Stabholz came charging down the left side of the field for a shot that couldn't find it's target on goal as it was blocked by one of the Blazers.
• Unfortunately, during the course of the first half the 'Grims could not find themselves on the scoreboard in the early going. The defense played their part allowing no shots to go in the back of the net as NEC sophomore goalkeeper Lukas Tate (South Jordan, Utah) collected four saves keeping his team in the game wrapping up the half in a draw, 0-0.
• It was a standstill for the majority of the second half, but NEC did not falter nor waver in their attempts to score and that proved to help the 'Grims surge late in the game. Tate's save at 24:03 allowed the team to push down the left side of the field after the sophomore rolled the ball towards that direction allowing for junior forward Noel Huliselan (Jakarta, Indonesia) to continue to push things into Blazer territory to set up the team's leading goal scorer in sophomore midfielder Santiago Sanchez (Guatemala City, Guatemala) for an NEC goal.
• Things didn't cease there in the final half of conference play for the 'Grims as a shot was taken by forward Chase Gurtowsky (Torrington, Conn.) with 14:54 remaining with the shot being blocked. 10 seconds later Gurtowsky was bestowed another opportunity to let one rip that ultimately led to the 'Grims scoring yet again thanks to junior midfielder Wyatt Flibbert (Windham, Maine) and junior midfielder Anthony Aguiar (Guilford, N.H.) on the assist to conclude the game in a 2-0 victory for NEC.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Tate's afternoon at the pitch ended with him gathering seven saves and earning his second shutout of the season.
• EC's senior goalkeeper Aidan Berube (Chicopee, Mass.) finished with four saves on the day.
• Shots were fired on both sides ending with NEC having the edge over the Blazers as the 'Grims had 18 to EC's 17. NEC also had the advantage in corner kicks compiling five while the EC only managed to acquire three.
• Both NEC Sanchez and Gurtowsky have been on a roll as of late as the two young stars earned a goal each respectively. Sanchez claimed his fourth goal of the season while Gurtowsky tabs his second.

UP NEXT

• NEC is back on the field on Wednesday as they'll be hosting a conference matchup against the visiting Lasers of Lasell University from Don Melander Field under the lights at 7:00 p.m.
• EC find themselves in another conference matchup as well as they take on the Blue Jays of the University of Saint Joseph's (Conn.) on the road from USJ Athletics Complex on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.

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