Mustangs Knock Out Seawolves in YSCC Semis

Mustangs Knock Out Seawolves in YSCC Semis

Auburn, ME – The #1 seeded CMCC Men's Soccer team survived a scare in their Yankee Small College Conference Tournament semifinal, rallying from down an early goal to defeat archrival and #4 seed Southern Maine Community College, 4-2. The Mustangs complete a three-game season sweep of the Seawolves and advance to Sunday's championship game. 
 
SMCC stunned their hosts with a strike in just the sixth minute of play to take a 1-0 lead. Former Fryeburg Academy teammates Louis Sehr and Tim Eulenberger combined on a long ball over the top by defender Evan Allen. Sehr, the Seawolves leading scorer, cut the ball back at the end line and laid a pass off for the on-rushing Eulenberger. The midfielder from Iffezheim, Germany fizzed a low shot into the corner past a diving Cody Cleaveland for his sixth goal of the season. 
 
The Mustangs shook off their slow start to the match and gradually got into rhythm. Shots by Matty Waters and Jeremiah Gomez were closely followed by an equalizing goal in the 13th minute. 
 
Mitch Cameron dropped a pass back outside the edge of the area for Mikel Soto. The midfielder whipped a left-footed effort into the side netting, just inside the far post, giving goalkeeper Ian Allen no chance. It was also the sixth of the campaign for the Madrid, Spain native and his first against SMCC. 
 
The Seawolves did not back down against the #1 team in the USCAA Division II, continuing to get players forward looking to retake the lead. A clearance from a corner kick gave the Mustangs a chance on the counterattack. Gomez dribbled through the midfield before spying an opening to feed a pass ahead to Ivan Domingues. Central Maine's leading scorer made the most of it, toe-poking a shot into the bottom corner to make it 2-1 in the 28th minute. 
 
That goal seemed to finally get Central Maine back to its usual self. Just five minutes later they went up 3-1. Raimundo Lubota heaved a throw-in into the mixer, forcing Southern Maine to head it away. The ball fell to the onrushing Stephan Samba, who met it on the volley, sending his shot into the bottom corner before racing away to celebrate with a back flip. The Lewiston, ME native, who made his season debut in the first meeting against SMCC, collected his second goal of the year.
 
In the second half, the visitors continued their press for an upset. It took them only three minutes to cut the lead to 3-2. Captain William Perry scored on a free kick from the edge of the 18-yard box. Late in the first half, the Gorham, ME native saw a curled set piece effort stopped by Cleaveland. This time around his shot deflected off the wall, giving the goalkeeper no chance. 
 
Both teams traded chances in the second half, each coming close just past the hour mark. CMCC put the game away in the 75th minute. Ivan dropped deep into his own half to receive the ball and started a move up field, sending a pass out wide to David Nzuzi. Domingues raced forward straight down the middle and Nzuzi picked him out with an inch-perfect cross to the top of the box. The Hyde School graduate took the pass off his thigh before smacking a volley into the back of the net. His 20th goal of the campaign made it 4-2. 
 
That took the wind out of the underdog's sails. Ahmed Al Mshakheel had a free kick effort that curled just wide of the post and Jeannot Ndayishimiye had a looping effort from outside box saved with five minutes to play. That was as close as SMCC got with the Mustangs hanging on for the win to book their spot in a fourth straight YSCC championship game. 
 
Central Maine outshot Southern Maine 13-9. The Seawolves two goals ended a shutout streak of seven straight matches and 522:51 for the Mustangs. The last goal against CMCC was Chandrel Laza's strike for SMCC in the 73rd minute of the teams' first meeting in Auburn back on September 19th, also a 4-2 win for the Mustangs. 
 
SMCC ends its season at 9-8-0. CMCC improves to 14-1-1 and will play #2 Paul Smith's College for the YSCC Tournament title on Sunday afternoon, after the Bobcats came from behind in the second half to defeat #3 Word of Life Bible Institute in the day's second semifinal.

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November 1, 2024 Three Lions