Penalty Kicks Sink Men's Soccer Against DWC
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Daniel Webster (11-5-3, 6-0-2 NECC) | 1 | 1 | 2 |
|
Mitchell (5-8-3, 4-2-2 NECC) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – Daniel Webster College closed out the regular season with a 2-0 victory at Mitchell College on Saturday afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference men's soccer action at Alumni Field.
Michael Ottman supplied a pair of goals—both on penalty kicks—as the Eagles finished unbeaten in league play for the second straight season. As a result, Daniel Webster (11-5-3 overall, 6-0-2 NECC) earned the top seed and a first-round bye in next week's NECC Championship. It also marked the third NECC regular season title for the Eagles (2009, 2015).
Mitchell (5-8-3 overall, 4-2-2 NECC) also qualified for the tournament and will host a first-round match-up as the fourth seed.
Ottman's first attempt from the penalty spot came in the 25th minute after Mitchell goalie Romer Ochoa was whistled for a foul while trying to chase down a loose ball in the box. Ottman placed his shot into the lower-right corner to give the Eagles the 1-0 advantage, and the margin held up for the final 20 minutes of the stanza.
Late in the second half, a long ball from the midfield sprung Ian Hutchinson down the middle of the pitch, and he caught up to the pass after one bounce at the top of the 18. He headed the ball over goalkeeper Seth Strader and slipped past him for an open look at the goal, but a Mitchell defender brought him down from behind before he could get off a shot. The foul resulted in a red card and another opportunity for Ottman, who buried a shot into the top-right corner for his seventh marker of the season.
Daniel Webster goalie Cooper Hall made two saves in the second half to record his sixth shutout of the season. Ochoa and Strader each finished with a pair of stops for the Mariners.
The complete bracket for the NECC Championship, including match-ups and game times, will be released by the league later today.
Prior to the game, the Mariners honored five seniors in a special ceremony. Ochoa, Andrew Nigro, Cody Poirier, Todd Zessin and Spencer Daniel all got the starting nod on Senior Day.