Kanter's PK save crucial in Gulls 2-0 win over Suffolk

Kanter's PK save crucial in Gulls 2-0 win over Suffolk

Box Score

SOMERVILLE, Mass. –
The Endicott men’s soccer team held a 1-0 lead over Suffolk for much of the match, but a clutch save by freshman goalkeeper Aaron Kanter (Medfield, Mass.) and a late insurance goal by freshman forward Alex Jorge (Billerica, Mass.) gave the Gulls a 2-0, non-conference win over the Rams.

With the win, Endicott (6-6-3) reached the .500 mark for the first time all season and stretched their unbeaten streak to seven games.  The Blue and Green are 6-0-1 during the streak. 

The biggest moment of the match came with under four minutes to play in regulation when Suffolk was awarded a penalty kick when a Rams attacker was taken down in the box.  Suffolk freshman  midfielder Babacar Sembene (Dakar, Senegal) lined up for the penalty shot, stutter-stepped and went low and to the right, but Kanter preserved the shutout with a diving stop.  An Endicott defender rushed in on the loose ball and made a play to prevent another Suffolk shot on goal. 

Kanter finished the match with 10 saves and recorded his eight shutout of the season to improve to 6-2-3.   It was the second game this season in which Kanter stopped at least 10 opposing shots on goal. 

In the 14th minute, Suffolk nearly gained an early lead when freshman forward Andres Cohen (Caracas, Venezuela) headed a ball to the upper right corner of the net, but Kanter leapt and pushed the ball out of bounds with his outstretched hands. 

Endicott scored first midway through the first half in the 20th minute when after a long throw for the Gulls seemed to be intercepted by Rams keeper James Potter (North Kingston, R.I.), the ball came loose and senior forward Jared Rizzo (Peabody, Mass.) struck a shot to the back of the net for his fourth goal of the year. 

After Kanter’s save on the Suffolk penalty kick, the Blue and Green would tally an insurance goal under two minutes later at 88:30.  Sophomore midfielder Bobby Durben (Stow, Mass.), coming off his game-winning goal against Nichols two days earlier, recorded the assist by feeding Jorge the ball up the field who went on to beat the Rams goalie to solidify the Endicott win.  Jorge’s goal was his team-leading fifth of the season. 

Endicott hosts CCC rival Wentworth on Wednesday, October 19th at 4:00 pm in a critical conference showdown.