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DeMello, No. 5 Saints men's soccer stun Geneseo State, 3-2

Posted 9/11/11

St. Lawrence University junior Sam DeMello scored three unanswered goals, including the game-winner off a set play with 2:11 remaining, helping the nationally-ranked No. 5 men's soccer team rally …

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DeMello, No. 5 Saints men's soccer stun Geneseo State, 3-2

Posted

St. Lawrence University junior Sam DeMello scored three unanswered goals, including the game-winner off a set play with 2:11 remaining, helping the nationally-ranked No. 5 men's soccer team rally from a 2-0 deficit past Geneseo State 3-2 on Saturday in Canton, NY.

The Saints, who knocked off nationally-ranked No. 18 Rochester by the score of 4-0 on Friday, remain unbeaten at 4-0-0.  The Blue Knights, who had a 2-0 lead only 16:34 into the game, fall to 2-1-1 after seeing their advantage slip away.

"This was a character-building game for us," said St. Lawrence head coach Bob Durocher.  "We didn't play our best early, but we stayed patient and were able to grind out a win against a very tough team."

Though the Scarlet and Brown had a large 21-10 advantage in shots and a 7-1 lead in corner kicks, it was Geneseo that held a 2-0 lead in the early going thanks to Ian Mort.  Mort scored back-to-back goals only 10:28 apart for the visiting team, getting Geneseo on the scoreboard at 6:06 when he took a slick pass from John Piaggione and rifled a shot past St. Lawrence keeper Brian Abernethy from inside the box.

Mort then made it 2-0 on an unassisted goal at 16:34.  The Blue Knights sent the ball into the box and though Abernethy appeared to control it, a scrum ensued and the ball squirted free to Mort who hammered a shot into the upper corner of the net for the 2-0 cushion.

St. Lawrence would begin to created quality offensive chances as well, but Sam Murphy was solid between the pipes for the visiting team, robbing Tyler McCune with a beautiful diving stop.

With the first half winding down, the Saints were finally able to solve Murphy at 42:56.  Junior Nick Lincoln sent a pass through the Geneseo defense to DeMello, who cut to the top of the box and lined a shot past a diving Murphy for his second goal of the season, bringing the home team back to within one at 2-1.

The Saints would waste little time in the second half before tying the score at 2-2.  The team played the ball into the Geneseo box, where a defender took out a St. Lawrence forward.  The officials called a foul, giving DeMello a penalty kick which he converted to tie the score at 45:25.

St. Lawrence would control the majority of scoring tries in the second half, including a 5-0 edge in corner kicks.  The game appeared to be headed for overtime, but Geneseo's Jop Smit was whistled for a yellow card when he was called for a hand ball infraction at 87:41.  The call allowed the Saints to set up a direct kick from outside the box, which DeMello hooked around the wall and inside the right post to complete his hat trick and give the home team a 3-2 lead at 87:49. 

St. Lawrence was able to run out the remaining portion of the clock to secure the come-from-behind win.  Murphy finished with seven saves for the Blue Knights, while Abernethy made one stop for the Scarlet and Brown.

The Saints will be in action again on Friday, September 16 when the team squares off with Gordon College at Sandy MacAllaster Field at 4:00pm.