Box Score Somerville, Mass. - Freshman Gus Santos (Framingham, Mass.) scored during the first overtime period in the 98th minute to deliver the Tufts University Jumbos a 1-0 New Enghland Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) victory over the visiting Trinity College Bantams this afternoon afternoon at Kraft Field. Trinity loses its first league game and for the first time in six contests after an 0-1-2 start to the year and falls to 5-2-2 overall and 3-1-2 in the NESCAC, while Tufts improves to 4-2-1 overall and 2-2-1 in the conference.
Although the first half was scoreless, each side had good chances to get on the scoreboard. Sophomore Scott Blumenthal (Simsbury, Conn.) had a pair of shots in the first 12 minutes for Tufts. His first attempt went wide in the fifth minute, but he forced Trinity senior keeper Grant Schonberg (Mendham, N.J.) to make a save in the 12th minute. Trinity received a direct kick from just outside the top of the box in the 14th minute, but the kick from junior midfielder Anthony El-Hachem (Vernon, Conn.) sailed high. Five minutes later a shot from senior forward Dan Mayernick (Gladwyne, Pa.) was sent wide. Schonberg made a big stop in the 22nd minute, charging off the line and corralling the ball in a collision with Jumbo senior Naji Muakassa (Jamesville, N.Y.). Both Mayernick and El-Hachem had shot attempts later in the half for the Bantams, but their tries missed the mark. Schonberg stopped three Jumbo shots in the first 45 minutes while Tufts senior keeper Alan Bernstein (Wayne, N.J.) recorded two saves. Trinity held a slight advantage, 7-6, in the shot department.
Trinity had the first opportunity to score in the second half at the 51st minute with a corner kick, but the Jumbo back line cleared it out without allowing a shot attempt. Just a minute later it looked as if the Jumbos had scored, however a foul in the box wiped out the tally. In the 57th minute, Mayernick went one-on-one for Trinity streaking to the goal, but his shot was over the crossbar as Bernstein tracked him the whole way. Tufts had a golden chance in the 88th minute on a three-on-two opportunity, but junior Franco Silva (Houston, Texas) put his shot outside the near post.
With three minutes left in the first overtime, the Jumbos had three chances to end it as back-to-back shots were blocked and a third was saved by Schonberg. In the 98th minute, Volpe sent a lead pass ahead that connected with Santos, who sprinted to the net unabated and tucked it in the near post for the game-winner. Tufts finished with a 14-12 lead in shots. Schonberg had a strong effort for the Bantams, recording five saves while Bernstein registered four for the Jumbos.
box score