BANGOR, Maine – Behind a two-goal performance from sophomore Miguel Diaz Alvarez, the Husson University men's soccer team punched its ticket to the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) championship game with a 3-1 victory over Maine Maritime Academy in the NAC semifinals Wednesday evening at John P. Boucher Field.
The Eagles (8-7-2) controlled much of the contest, outshooting the Mariners (6-8-3) 21-3, while overcoming an unexpected lighting delay late in the opening half and a second-half equalizer to advance to Saturday's conference championship against top-seeded Thomas College.
Husson established its offensive presence early, generating several scoring opportunities throughout the opening 45 minutes. Freshman Santiago Jimenez recorded the Eagles' first shot just 1:21 into the contest before sophomores Lorenzo Ceruti and Cesar Soucre added attempts over the next several minutes.
Diaz Alvarez began testing Maine Maritime goalkeeper Reagan Moynihan midway through the half, forcing saves in the 25th and 31st minutes. Sophomore Chadi Hamadi added another shot on goal in the 34th minute as the Eagles continued applying pressure.
Husson finally broke through in the 38th minute when Diaz Alvarez found the back of the net at the 37:31 mark, giving the Eagles a 1-0 advantage.
However, the celebration was followed by an unusual interruption when the field lights at John P. Boucher Field unexpectedly shut off immediately following the goal. The outage resulted in an approximately 15-minute delay before lighting was restored and play resumed.
Despite the disruption, Husson maintained its momentum, with sophomore Jorge Mora forcing another save from Moynihan in the 41st minute. The Eagles carried their 1-0 advantage into halftime after dominating the opening period with a 12-1 edge in shots and a 4-0 advantage in corner kicks.
Maine Maritime responded quickly following the intermission, leveling the contest in the 51st minute when Piercen Fisher scored an unassisted goal at the 50:45 mark to make it 1-1.
The Mariners briefly threatened to take the lead in the 64th minute when Harris Stoddard put an attempt on target, but Husson junior goalkeeper Jamie Barr came up with the save to preserve the tie.
The Eagles continued searching for the go-ahead goal, with Mora and Hamadi both forcing saves from Moynihan in the 66th and 69th minutes, respectively.
Husson's persistence paid off in the 72nd minute when Diaz Alvarez struck for the second time, finishing a feed from sophomore Lucas Alabiso at the 71:51 mark to restore the Eagles' advantage, 2-1. The goal proved to be the game-winner and put Husson back in front with less than 19 minutes remaining.
Just over four minutes later, Husson added an insurance goal when Jimenez converted a pass from senior Edwin Cruz at the 76:04 mark, extending the Eagles' lead to 3-1 and giving the hosts some breathing room in the closing stages of the semifinal matchup.
The Eagles continued pressing offensively over the final 14 minutes, with Diaz Alvarez forcing another save in the 82nd minute as Husson maintained control down the stretch to secure the victory and advance to the conference title game.
Diaz Alvarez led the Eagles with two goals on seven shots, including six on target, while Jimenez finished with one goal on four attempts. Alabiso and Cruz each recorded an assist, while Mora contributed three shots and Hamadi added two shots on goal.
Barr earned the victory between the posts for Husson, finishing with one save over 90 minutes. Moynihan recorded eight saves in the loss for Maine Maritime.
Husson finished with a commanding 21-3 advantage in total shots, including an 11-2 edge in shots on goal. The Eagles also held a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks, while both teams committed 14 fouls.
With the semifinal victory, Husson advances to the NAC championship game, where the Eagles will travel to face top-seeded Thomas College on Saturday, Nov. 7. The opening kickoff time is still to be determined, with the winner earning the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship.
