Embrace The Championship: Merrimack Uses Overtime to Win First NE10 Men's Soccer Title in 20 Years

Embrace The Championship: Merrimack Uses Overtime to Win First NE10 Men's Soccer Title in 20 Years

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 


Warriors Win First NE10 Title in 20 Years

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Merrimack secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament by winning the Northeast-10 Conference Menb's Soccer title in a thrilling overtime victory over Bentley Sunday afternoon from Martone-Mejail Field. The Warriors defeated the Falcons 2-1 in overtime. It's the first conference tournament title for Merrimack in 20 years.

In the 18th minute, graduate student Josue Ruiz Maya struck first for the Warriors. Merrimack had a corner kick taken by sophomore Kevin Esper, who sent the ball into the box. Ruiz Maya leaped over everyone and knocked the ball just underneath the cross bar to give the home team a 1-0 lead.

Merrimack kept the pressure going in the second half, firing off five shots in the first 17 minutes. Falcons' keeper David Price made a couple huge saves to keep it a one goal deficit for the visitors. In the 85th minute of the contest, Bentley finally broke through, following a Merrimack foul. A ball was sent into the box and kicked around a few times, before Adam Watkins kicked it in from the far post.

It was another corner kick by Esper that led to the game-winning goal. His cross was sent into the box and found the head of sophomore Aasmund Joedahl, who knocked it by the keeper and into the back of the net to ignite the home crowd. The Warriors will now wait to see who they will play in the 2017 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship, during the NCAA selection show on Monday night at 6:30 p.m.


Joedahl's title-winning header

2017 NE10 Men's Soccer Championship Schedule

Tuesday, October 31 

Quarterfinals ­

Match 1: #8 Bentley 2, #1 Adelphi 1 
Match 2: #2 Merrimack 2 #7 Franklin Pierce 0 
Match 3: #3 Southern Connecticut 3, #6 Saint Rose 1
Match 4: #5 Le Moyne 0, #4 Southern New Hampshire 0 

Friday, November 3  

Semifinals 

Match 5: #8 Bentley 2, #5 Le Moyne 1   
Match 6: #2 Merrimack 3, #3 Southern Connecticut 1

Sunday, November 5

Championship

Match 7: #2 Merrimack 2, #8 Bentley 1, OT

Additional information for this reelase provided by the athletic communication staff at Merrimack

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.