Skip To Main Content
Alex Graver celebrates goal
Landon Geis, Athletic Communications Student Employee
1
Mass.-Dartmouth MASS.-DA (7-8-3)
2
Winner Southern Me. SOUTHERN (7-5-7)
Mass.-Dartmouth MASS.-DA
(7-8-3)
1
Final
2
Southern Me. SOUTHERN
(7-5-7)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Mass.-Dartmouth MASS.-DA 1 0 1
Southern Me. SOUTHERN 0 2 2

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

Little East Quarterfinal: No. 4 Southern Maine Rallies for 2-1 Win Over No. 5 UMass Dartmouth


 
GORHAM, Maine  – Senior Liam Conneely (Weymouth, Mass.) headed in the equalizer, and junior Alex Graver (Freeport, Maine) headed in the game-winner to lead the fourth-seed University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 2-1 come-from-behind win over the fifth-seed UMass Dartmouth Corsairs in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Little East Conference Men's Soccer tournament. 
 
Senior goalkeeper Gabe Wagner (Freeport, Maine) made six saves in the win, including a critical penalty stop in the 87th minute to preserve the Huskies one-goal lead.
 
The Huskies advance to the semifinal round with their first-ever playoff win in LEC tournament history (six appearances) and will face top-seed WestConn on Wednesday, November 4 (4:00 pm). 
 
The Records:
No. 5 UMass Dartmouth (7-8-3)
No. 4 Southern Maine (7-5-7)
 
Today's game the 38th meeting between the University of Southern Maine and UMass Dartmouth. The last three meetings between the Corsairs and Huskies have resulted in a tie, including a scoreless draw on September 12 of this season.  While the Corsairs lead the overall series 22-10-6, the Huskies are 2-0-4 in the last six meeting. 
 
Southern Maine's win today is the first Little East Conference playoff win in program history.  The Huskies are now 1-4-1 in conference post-season play. The Huskies season ended in 2025 with a 1-1 draw with RIC, and was lost on penalties (3-2).
 
How It Happened:
  • Coming from behind for the second game in a row, Southern Maine conceded a goal in the 18th minute of action when UMass Dartmouth's Joey Renquinha put his head onto a solid service from Jack Martin for a 1-0 Corsair lead.
  • Both teams were even in the first half statistically with USM lead in shots 5-4, and corners 3-1. Both Wagner and UMD goalkeeper Edward Corliss each made three saves.
  • The Huskies equalized just before 10 minutes expired in the second half.  Conneely made an outstanding play with a low header to the far post on a ball served in from the left side of the field from senior Cole Johnson (Orange, Mass./Ralph C. Mahar).  The goal is Conneely's first of the season.
  • Southern Maine took the lead in the 63rd minute. After a corner kick resulted in a foul just outside the box, Graver rose above the defense to hit a header to the near post off of a service from junior Martin Kelly (Portland, Maine). 
  • Both teams battled back and forth after the Graver goal. The Corsairs were awarded a penalty after a player was taken down dribbling inside the box, but Wagner was able to come up huge with a diving save to his right to keep USM ahead 2-1 in the 87th minute.
 
The Goalkeepers:
UMD: Edward Corliss, 90:00, (4-6-2), 2 GA, 6 Saves
SM: Gabe Wagner, 90:00, (6-4-5), 1 GA, 6 Saves
 
Inside The Stats:
  • Southern Maine led in shots 12-9 (8-7 on goal), and had a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks.
  • With 11 goals this season, Graver is the first Husky men's soccer player to reach double-digit goals since Mazen Alajari's 11 goals in 2012. Graver's 11 goals so far this season gives him at 20 in his career. He has 20 goals and three assists for 43 points. Graver's 20 goals are 15th in all-time history, while his 43 points rank 24th. His 11 goals this season are 15th in single season records.
 
Up Next:
The Huskies advance to play top-seed WestConn on Wednesday, November 4 (4:00 pm) in Danbury, Conn.
           
 
-cac-
 
 
 
Print Friendly Version