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MSOC Senior Day
2
American Int'l AIC (2-5-7, 2-3-2)
3
Winner St. Anselm STA (5-7-3, 4-3-2)
American Int'l AIC
(2-5-7, 2-3-2)
2
Final
3
St. Anselm STA
(5-7-3, 4-3-2)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
American Int'l AIC 0 2 2
St. Anselm STA 2 1 3

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Leader's Late Winner Lifts Men's Soccer to Massive Win Over AIC

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Junior Caden Leader (Durham, N.H.) scored the game-winning goal with 18 seconds remaining in the game, and junior Samuel Assantha (Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo) added two goals and an assist of his own, to lift the Saint Anselm College men's soccer team to a 3-2 Northeast-10 Conference win over American International College (AIC) on Senior Day.
 

UP NEXT:
  • The Hawks conclude the regular season on the road against nationally-ranked No. 1 Franklin Pierce University on Wednesday, October 25th at 7:00 p.m.

Score: Saint Anselm 3, American International 2
Records: Saint Anselm (5-7-3, 4-3-2 Northeast-10); American International (2-5-7, 2-3-2 Northeast-10)
Location: Manchester, N.H. (Melucci Field)
Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Attendance: 199
 

HOW IT HAPPENED:
  • Prior to the match, nine seniors from the Saint Anselm class of 2024 were recognized as part of the Senior Day ceremony. Those honored were Josue Assantha (Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo), Alejandro Correal (Bogotá, Colombia), Tucker Henry (Lee, N.H.), Logan Kline-Frenya (Plattsburgh, N.Y.), Reed Leader (Durham, N.H.), Colin Miller (Nashua, N.H.), Ethan Northcott (Hollis, N.H.), Thomas Prentice (Merrimack, N.H.), and Zach Verow (Bedford, N.H.).
  • Just over 10 minutes into the match, Samuel Assantha opened the scoring with his first goal of the season. Junior Jack O'Brien (Norton, Mass.) displayed great hustle on the play, saving a ball from going out of bounds on the endline before passing into the box to classmate James Poschmann (Bedford, N.H.). Poschmann laid it off to Assantha, who one-timed a left-footed shot into the top right corner to put the Hawks ahead, 1-0.
  • Five minutes later, Assantha scored his second goal of the game, this time on a breakaway. Following an AIC handball near midfield, a quick restart was initiated by junior Michael Provenzano (Stratham, N.H.), who threaded the needle with a pass through the Yellow Jacket back line that found Assantha on the run. Assantha dribbled towards goal and fired a right-footed shot past AIC goalkeeper Lucas Morales-Fernandez to put Saint Anselm ahead, 2-0.
  • Saint Anselm did not allow an AIC shot attempt on goal throughout the remainder of the half to keep their two-goal lead intact at halftime.
  • Momentum started to shift early in the second half, with AIC taking over most of the possession and creating numerous chances on the attack. Sophomore goalkeeper David Hood (Manchester, N.H.) made two quick saves including a diving stop following a header by Gabriel Nissen of the Yellow Jackets.
  • In the 64th minute, AIC's Hallvard Boehn ripped a shot from inside Saint Anselm's penalty area, but his effort hit off the left post and was cleared away.
  • Three minutes later, the Yellow Jackets got on the board after a corner kick served in by Christian Amaral found Thom Hulshof at the front post. Hulshof flicked a header up and over Hood and into the far side netting to cut the Hawks' lead in half.
  • Simba Pelletier leveled the match at 2-2 in the 73rd minute, with a strike from outside the box that slipped through the hands of Hood and bounced over the goal line.
  • The Yellow Jackets continued to increase their pressure in search for the winner, earning several corner kicks and forcing Hood to make two more critical saves.
  • The Hawks got their first scoring opportunity of the second half on a counter-attack with under two minutes remaining in the game. A ball was played in the box to Samuel Assantha, who took one touch around Morales-Fernandez, but was then taken down by the Yellow Jacket goalkeeper to set up a penalty kick. Assantha stepped up to take the shot, but missed over the cross-bar.
  • Eager to make up for his mistake, Assantha came through in a big way for Saint Anselm with just seconds remaining. The junior attacker stole the ball from an AIC defender near the end-line and whipped in a cross that found Caden Leader alone on the back post. His header bounced into the back of the net for his first goal of the season, giving the Hawks the lead with 18 seconds left on the clock.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
  • AIC outshot Saint Anselm 16-9 in the game, while also holding a six to three advantage in shots on goal.
  • The Yellow Jackets attempted six corner kicks in the match, while the Hawks attempted four.
  • Hood made four saves in goal for the Hawks, while Samuel Assantha and Caden Leader each scored their first goals of the season.
  • Samuel Assantha and Poschmann both picked up their third assist of the season, which is tied for second-most on the squad. Provenzano registered his second assist in as many games, while O'Brien notched his first career assist.
  • This marked the 56th all-time meeting between Saint Anselm and American International, with the Hawks improving to a 36-17-3 record overall against the Yellow Jackets.

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