MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME MEN’S SOCCER

Friday, October 7, 2016

Clean Harbors Stadium, Buzzards Bay, Mass.

FINAL:              MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 2, FITCHBURG STATE 1

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. --  First half goals by sophomore Brendan Gawron (Braintree, Mass.) and junior Mick Rouette (Three Rivers, Mass.) lifted Massachusetts Maritime to a 2-1 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference men’s soccer victory over Fitchburg State Friday evening at Clean Harbors Stadium.

Gawron staked the host Buccaneers (6-4-1, 3-0-1 MASCAC) to a 1-0 advantage in the 21^st minute with his team-leading seventh goal of the season on a header in front of the net, and Rouette extended the lead with the eventual game-winning tally (his second of the year) from 20 yards out on a feed from senior Scott Matoian (Mashpee, Mass.) in the 35^th minute.  That score held up until the 77^th minute of play when the visiting Falcons (2-8-1, 0-4 MASCAC) received an own goal on a deflection off two Buccaneer defenders, but that would prove to be the final margin despite a pair of Fitchburg State chances in the closing minutes for a potential equalizer.

Junior Mike Pruchnik (Rochester, Mass.) earned his fifth win of the season with a seven-save effort in goal for Massachusetts Maritime, which took sole possession of the top spot in the MASCAC standings after MCLA dropped a 2-1 league decision earlier on Friday in North Adams, Mass.  Junior Alex Al-Zaibak (Hingham, Mass.) made six stops in the setback for Fitchburg State, as the Buccaneers outshot the Falcons by a 10-9 margin overall (8-7 on goal) but saw the visitors hold a 6-3 edge in corner kicks for the contest.

Massachusetts Maritime hosts Brandeis in a non-league outing on Monday evening at Clean Harbors Stadium beginning at 7:00 p.m., while Fitchburg State heads to Worcester, Mass. on Wednesday evening to take on Clark in a non-league match that also begins at 7:00 p.m.