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Top-ranked Saints turn back Potsdam 2-0

Posted 9/21/11

Junior midfielder Sam DeMello scored one goal and set up the other as St. Lawrence University's men's soccer team celebrated its rise to the top spot in the NCAA Division III men's soccer poll with a …

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Top-ranked Saints turn back Potsdam 2-0

Posted

Junior midfielder Sam DeMello scored one goal and set up the other as St. Lawrence University's men's soccer team celebrated its rise to the top spot in the NCAA Division III men's soccer poll with a dominating 2-0 win over Potsdam State on Sandy MacAllaster Field Tuesday afternoon.

St. Lawrence outshot Potsdam 32-2 and had 16 corner kicks to none for the Bears, but a solid 12-save performance by goaltender Joe Glackin kept the final score from being even more one-sided. The Bears did not get a shot attempt until the 66:54 mark as the Saints dominated the midfield.

"We did a great job with possession, but we need to work on finishing things off in the final third of the field," said Saint coach Bob Durocher. "We need other people to score goals...to have that many chances and not finish is a little disturbing. We have some things to work on...we had a ton of corner kicks, but weren't really dangerous on them."

The Saints had a 16-0 shot advantage in the first half and 10 corner kicks, but the only goal came at the 20:25 mark when Mike Manfredi turned the ball back upfield and took it to the top of the box on the right side, sending a pass across to DeMello, who one-timed a hard shot from just inside the 18 to the left side of the net for his fifth of the season.

DeMello then set up an insurance goal at the 57:19 mark as he made a move on a defender to get free, darted up the right side and sent a pass across the goal mouth from the edge of the keeper's area to Brian Gilloran, who put away his second of the season.

"We were able to play the whole team and give some people who work hard in practice a chance to get some game experience, and that was a big plus," said Durocher. "We possessed the ball well enough that we were able to bring guys in and keep our rhythm.

"The number one thing is a nice recognition of our effort, but the only ranking I really look at is the final one. This may be a little premature, particularly with the guys we have out and hopefully the guys keep it in mind that we have to keep working to improve."

Saint goaltender Brian Abernethy needed only two saves, both shots coming from a considerable distance, to post his fourth shutout in five starts.

St. Lawrence will open defense of its Liberty League title when it hosts Skidmore in the first league game of the season Saturday at 2 p.m.