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Syracuse, N.Y. - Sophomore midfielder Jesse Carr (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles) scored off a free kick in the 78th minute to propel the 20th-ranked and second-seeded Le Moyne College men's soccer team to a 1-0 win over seventh-seeded Bentley on Sunday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex.
Over the opening 45 minutes, neither team was able to muster any offensive attacks in a hard-fought half. The Dolphins were able to get off four shots, while the Falcons had their only shot easily saved by senior goalkeeper Steve White (Cortland, N.Y./Cortland). Bentley was whistled for 14 fouls and three yellow cards in the first half, while Le Moyne committed nine fouls and was booked for one yellow card.
The game's tempo picked up in the second half. At the 62:03 mark, sophomore midfielder Harrison Grubbs (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) had a header going towards the goal, but Bentley midfielder Nicco Roffo headed the ball off the goal line to keep the game scoreless. Three minutes later, junior forward Angelo Reina (Frankfort, N.Y./Utica Notre Dame) had a shot to get the Dolphins on the scoreboard following a free kick, but Michael Nikiforov made the save from five yards.
After a Bentley midfielder took Carr down from behind at the top of the penalty box, the Dolphins were awarded a free kick. Carr's blast from 25 yards at the 77:18 mark hit off the shoulder of a Bentley defender and landed in the back of the net on the left side of the goal.
Reina, a Northeast-10 Conference First Team selection, had a chance to double the Le Moyne lead with six minutes remaining, but Nikiforov made a sliding save. On the other end of the field, Jared Joaquin took a shot from the top of the penalty box on the right side of the field, but the attempt went just wide of the left goal post with 1:48 remaining.
The Dolphins out-shot Bentley 13-6 in the match, while also holding a 3-2 edge in corner kicks. White, named to the all-Conference Second Team, made two saves for his seventh shutout of the season and the 24th of his career. Nikiforov ended the contest with four saves.
Le Moyne (15-2-2), which has won 15 games in a season for the third time in the program's 55-year history and for the first time since 2004, will host a semi-final match on Wednesday, Nov. 4 against Franklin Pierce at 1:00 p.m.
-agate-
#20 Le Moyne 1, Bentley 0
Bentley (6-10-2) 0 0 - 0
#20 Le Moyne (15-2-2) 0 1 - 1
Bentley (6-10-2): SCORING: None. GOALKEEPING: Michael Nikiforov (L, 90:00, 1 GA, 4 saves).
#20 Le Moyne (15-2-2): SCORING: Jesse Carr 1-0. GOALKEEPING: Steve White (W, 90:00, 0 GA, 2 saves).
