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Will Smith Service
Deja Driscoll Smith
2
Mass.-Dartmouth MASS.-DA (0-6-1, 0-1-0)
3
Winner Southern Me. SOUTHERN (3-5-1, 1-1-0)
Mass.-Dartmouth MASS.-DA
(0-6-1, 0-1-0)
2
Final
3
Southern Me. SOUTHERN
(3-5-1, 1-1-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Mass.-Dartmouth MASS.-DA 2 0 2
Southern Me. SOUTHERN 1 2 3

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Christina Cracolici, Director of Athletic Communications

Smith Brace, Blake Game-Winner Leads Huskies Past UMass Dartmouth 3-2

Smith Scores Both Equalizers, Assists on Game-Winner


 GORHAM, Maine   -  Senior Will Smith (Northborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) scored both equalizers and assisted on the game-winning goal to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 3-2 win over the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs in a Little East Conference men's soccer game Saturday afternoon at Hannaford Field.
 
Smith rallied the Huskies back from a one-goal deficit twice in the game and then found the head of freshman Cyrus Blake (Blue Hill, Maine/George Stevens Academy) for the game-winning goal in the 82nd minute.
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The Records:
UMass Dartmouth (0-6-1, 0-1 Little East)
Southern Maine (3-5-1, 1-1 Little East)
 
Today's game marked 34th meeting between the University of Southern Maine and UMass Dartmouth.  The Corsairs lead the overall series 22-9-3.  Southern Maine and UMD battled to a 0-0 draw in 2022.  The Huskies last defeated the Corsairs, 3-1,  in 2017 on the road. 
 
How It Happened:
  • The Corsairs went ahead early as Braeden Leclair scored in the sixth minute for his second goal of the season. UMD's Joey Paiva won the ball on the right side of the field and carried it to the endline before slotting the ball into the box for a wide-open Leclair.
  • Southern Maine pulled even in the 23rd minute on a similar play, as Smith received a ball in from the left side from senior Noah Perry (Waterboro, Maine/Massabesic) for second goal of the season.
  • Eleven minutes later the Corsairs jumped ahead of the Huskies again in the 35th minute.  Brayan Rivas found Seth Lee for his first goal of the season for the 2-1 UMD lead, which would stand through the half.
  • The Corsairs held the one-goal lead for the first 25 minutes of the second half despite several strong efforts from the Huskies, including a close-range save from Corsair keeper Cole Travers on a rush from Noah Perry in the 55th minute.
  • Smith pulled his team even again, scoring in the 80th minute.  After the Huskies recycled a corner, Smith collected a rebounded shot, and lofted a long-range strike to the upper 90 of the far post of the cage for the equalizer.
  • Blake's game-winner came moments later on a set-piece taken by Smith. Smith sent in a service to the far side of the 18, and Blake rose to ball to head in the winner on the far post in the 82nd minute.
 
The Goalkeepers:
UMD, Cole Travers (0-1-1), 90:00, 3 GA, 6 saves
SM, Simon Gabaree (3-4-1), 90:00, 2 GA, 4 saves
 
Inside The Stats:
  • Smith has three goals and two assists this season for eight points. 
  • Blake has scored in back-to-back games for the Huskies, recording the first and second goals of his intercollegiate career.
  • The Huskies have scored 15 goals through nine games this season, which is four more goals than the 2022 season. It is the most goals by a USM men's soccer team since 16 were scored during the 2018 season. 
 
Up Next:
The Huskies are on the road for its next two contests, traveling to Plymouth State on Wednesday (3:00 pm) for an LEC matchup, and then to UMaine Farmington on Sunday (1:00 pm) for a non-conference game.
           
 
-cac-
 
 
 
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