MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME MEN’S SOCCER

2013 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Semifinals

Friday, November 8, 2013

Coughlin Field, Worcester, Mass.

FINAL:                   WORCESTER STATE 2, MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 0

WORCESTER, Mass. --  Goals by seniors Derek Alves (Ludlow, Mass.) and Alex Wolfel (Unionville, Conn.) lifted top-seeded Worcester State to a 2-0 victory over fourth-seeded Massachusetts Maritime in semifinal round action of the 2013 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Championships Friday evening at Coughlin Field.

The host Lancers, who improve to 11-3-4 with the win, advance to Sunday’s MASCAC Championship match to take on third-seeded Bridgewater State at Coughlin Field beginning at 1:00 p.m., as the Bears advanced to the title contest with a 1-0 victory over second-seeded Framingham State in the other league semifinal played earlier today at Maple Street Field in Framingham, Mass.  The visiting Buccaneers wrap up their season at 8-9-2 overall.

Alves gave Worcester State the only goal it would need with 2:44 remaining in the opening half, as he converted a feed from fellow senior Phillip Cepeda (Southbridge, Mass.) for his fifth tally of the season, and Wolfel provided an insurance marker for the Lancers in the 60^th minute, as he took a pass from fellow senior Brian Cormier (Hudson, Mass.) and converted his 10^th goal of the year from 10 yards out to account for the final score.

Sophomore Nick Zucco (Ludlow, Mass.) picked up his 11^th win and seventh shutout of the season with a four-save effort in goal for Worcester State, while freshman Joe Cohen (Plymouth, Mass.) also made four stops in the setback for Massachusetts Maritime, as the Lancers outshot the Buccaneers by an 18-12 margin for the evening with each team taking a pair of corner kicks in the contest.

Massachusetts Maritime ends the year with its highest single-season victory total since 2004, which also marked the last time the Buccaneers earned a post-season berth.  Massachusetts Maritime had advanced to the semifinal round with a 1-0 quarterfinal triumph over Salem State on Tuesday evening, the first post-season win in school history.

Worcester State is seeking its fifth MASCAC tournament crown and first since 2005 in Sunday’s championship match, while Bridgewater State is looking for its third title and first since 2007.