BENNINGTON, Vt. – The Southern Vermont College men's soccer team lost a hard-fought 2011 New England Collegiate Conference Championship rematch to Lesley University Saturday, 2-1. It was the first conference game for both teams in the 2012 season.
The Mountaineers (1-7, 0-1 NECC) took an early lead when junior Pierre Massena (West Milford, N.J.) found sophomore Erik Argueta (Pico Rivera, Calif.) for the 1-0 go-ahead tally. The first half ended 1-0, despite being played quite evenly between the two teams; each squad had four shots, two on net.
Lesley (4-2-2, 1-0 NECC) responded eleven minutes into the second half when a chaotic goal-face scramble led to Jimmy Paulson (Monroe, Conn.) netting one off a pass from Ryan Richardson (Santa Barbara, Calif.). In the 63rd minute, the Lynx broke the tie when Jordan Santos (Middlebury, Conn.) ripped a shot at net, causing SVC keeper Christopher Dunham (Valley Falls, N.Y.) to make a diving save. The rebound, however, was collected by a charging Richardson who finished for the game-winner.
Dunham made nine saves on the day, as Lynx goalie Nigel Leahy (New Paltz, N.Y.) had one.
The Mountaineers will next host SUNY Cobleskill at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, and the Lynx continue their NECC schedule with an 8 p.m. match at home Monday against Regis (Mass.).