PIONEERS COMPLETE SEASON SWEEP OF KNIGHTS WITH HOME WIN
Westside's Chris Roswess goal proves to be winner
The Western Mass Pioneers gave the fans at Lusitano Stadium a quite exciting game Saturday evening. The home side scored an early goal to grab the momentum, raced out to 3-0 lead midway through the second half, then hung on as Brooklyn staged a late comeback, holding on for the 3-2 final.
The early moments of the match saw Western Mass goalie Paul Armstrong (Central Connecticut St.) keep the game scoreless with a few spectacular point blank saves. Brooklyn came out of the gate fast, applying pressure on the Pioneers defense, creating good scoring chances, only to be denied by Armstrong.
The tide turned at the 9th minute of action when the Pioneers received a corner kick opportunity. Federico Molinari spun a left footer to the front of the goal only to be caught in a scrum. A few short seconds later Pioneers forward Yuri Moreira (Wheaton College) would put his head to good use nodding one past the Brooklyn keeper for the lead.
Western Mass would carry the play from here to the halftime intermission, and double their lead when Robert Cavener (Central Connecticut St.) slipped past the Brooklyn defense on the right and deposited a shot into the near corner at the 38 minute mark. Former St. John's of Shrewsbury High School standout Chris Stoker (UMASS) was credited with the assist.
Once play resumed in the second half, substitutions and more goals were in store. Both teams combined for seven second half changes and three more goals. West Springfield native Chris Roswess (UMASS) entered for the Pioneers in the 61st minute. It did not take him long to get involved as he ran on to a nifty through ball from Captain Molinari in the 72nd minute and slid it by a sprawling Brooklyn goalie into the lower corner for what looked like a cushy 3-0 lead.
Brooklyn found a spark in the 82nd minute when one of their substitutions, Ugur Goktekin cut into the Western Mass lead, finally beating Armstrong to the far post on a well placed shot. Brooklyn would make the home fans nervous when Gabriel Bayot slotted away a penalty kick at the 85th minute, trimming the Pioneers lead to 3-2.
The Pioneers defense of Patrick Boucher (Univ. of Hartford), Captain Jay Willis, Roy Sandeman (Providence), Molinari, and Andrew Henshaw(UMASS), replacing Boucher in the second half, would keep Brooklyn at bay for the remaining few minutes to post the victory.
Western Mass travels to New Hampshire tomorrow nite to battle the Phantoms at 7:30pm at Southern New Hampshire University before returning to Lusitano Stadium for the season finale Saturday to play the Portland Pheonix at 7pm.
Discouted tickets for Saturday's game can be purchased at participating BIG Y stores in western Mass.
