Jon Santer
Staff Writer
Cory Cardeiro of the Framingham State Rams netted two goals Tuesday night versus the Springfield College men’s soccer team, propelling his team to a 2-1 victory at Brock Affleck.
The loss drops the Pride to a record of 2-8-1.
Just 8:05 into the match, a bouncing ball on the right side of the net on the end line was corralled by Cardeiro and with one touch drove the ball right under the crossbar and into the net past Springfield goalie Brett Bascom for the first mark of the game.
Cardeiro’s second goal came off a free kick delivered by Jepherson Cardoso following a foul on Springfield captain David Chessen. After the Chessen was booked with a yellow card, at the 67:04 mark, Cardoso hit a high floating ball that landed at the feet of Cardeiro who lined up and stung the top right corner of the net.
“I have been trying to score all year but it has just been so difficult for me because its all I have been thinking about,” said the sophomore midfielder. “I came here tonight and my teammates got me the ball and I found the net finally.”
Just ten minutes after Cardeiro’s first goal at the 18:47 mark, Springfield had a chance to even up the score when Zach Dutter sent a beautiful through-ball just out of the reach of a Framingham State defender, allowing the speedy Mike Fowler to catch up to it, leaving him alone with just the goalie to beat. Fowler got a piece of the ball but Ram goalie Sam Yoder got in front of the shot, disallowing the Pride from tying the game at one. Yoder finished the game with four saves.
This was just one of many Springfield chances throughout the night.
“We played hard, we played tough. We got outplayed tonight,” said Rams’ coach Dean Nichol. “Springfield is a very good team, they had many more chances than we did, they played better than we did, but we battled and pulled it out.”
Springfield finally converted one of their chances in the 57th minute when sophomore defender Drew Sommer kicked a perfect ball into the box, finding classmate Mike Desroches who trapped the ball beautifully and tucked it past Yoder to knot the game up at one.
“I’m super proud of the boys,” said Springfield Coach Steffen Seibert. “I told them I’d rather have that (the loss) happen tonight than in our conference game on Saturday. They come out to practice every day and they perform and that is how I know it’s going to turn around here, I believe in the boys.”
The Pride will put this game in the past and focus on their next opponent in the Clark University Cougars. Springfield is in need of three NEWMAC conference victories to make the post-season. The Pride will take on Clark on Saturday at 2:30 P.M back on Brock Affleck.