Second Half Charge Sends Plymouth State Past Men’s Soccer, 4-1

PLYMOUTH, N.H. – A trio of second half goals from Plymouth State was too much for Suffolk men's soccer as the Rams fell, 4-1, Wednesday night at Arold Field. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1, Plymouth State 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (0-3-0) | Plymouth State (1-1-1) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Plymouth State got the scoring going early as Cam Bunn tucked away Juan Rivier's rebound that bounced off the pipe to give the Panthers a 1-0 edge just 7:38 into the action. 

Nearly 20 minutes went by before Suffolk responded. Jordan Casey took advantage of a free kick at the right 35-yard line. The senior captain fired a rocket that was completely out of reach of PSU's keeper Linus Lindeberg making a dipping bend into the upper left of the net to equalize things at 1-all in the 28th minute. 

Back-and-forth chippy played covered the remainder of the opening stanza as three yellow cards – two to PSU and one to the Rams – were handed out, but neither team could capitalize as they headed to the locker rooms tied at 1-all. 

The break proved to be a huge chance for Plymouth State to recharge as the hosts quickly gained an advantage and then some. 

On a blue-and-gold turnover, a Panthers two-on-one split Haines, stopped Milian Eklund's one-time, but the senior keeper's diving save landed right into the cleat of Mauricio Acevedo who sent it right over the top of Haines to put PSU in front once again, 2-1, in the 62nd minute.

Less than two minutes later Acevedo cleared the zone high over the Rams' offensive unit to set-up a one-on-one for Alyosha Westbrook with Haines. Suffolk's netminder came down the line to cut off the angle, but Westbrook's bending ball padded the lead for PSU, 3-1. 

Westbrook had a chance to stretch the Panthers lead even further seven minutes later. Haines went down to the pitch with a dive save, that looked to come up just short. Luckily for the Rams, Declan Mee intercepted the rock before it slid past the goal line to keep the margin at two with just under 20 minutes on left on the clock in regulation.

At the 77:19 minute mark, Suffolk made a change in net as Tom Bennett headed out for the first time in his collegiate career. The rookie saw action within a minute of his time on the turf as Eli Child let one go from the right 20-yard line. With Bennett leaping to make the save, the ball hit the cross bar and fell back into play as the score remained 3-1 in favor of the hosts. 

With just under eight minutes to go, Ryan Brown tacked on an insurance goal  from the corner to secure the win for Plymouth.

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

• Haines picked up all seven saves over the first 77 of action.
• Bennett competed in net for the Rams over the final 13 minutes.
• Lindeberg earned the victory for the Panthers, saving one of his two shots faced.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• PSU held an 8-1 edge in corners and outshot the Rams by a 17-5 margin. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Plymouth State met for the first time. 
• Casey put away his first goal of the season.
• Haines put up at least seven saves in each of Suffolk's games this season.
• Bennett made his first collegiate debut. 

POST-GAME PIC

COMING UP
Suffolk is back in front of its home crowd at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park Saturday, Sept. 8 where it will open its GNAC schedule against Rivier. The 12 p.m. contest versus the Raiders serves as game one of a Rams doubleheader with the women's squad hosting Regis in the nightcap at 3 p.m.