Stonehill Scores Twice In Second Half, Beats Saint Michael’s 2-1


Senior captain Tim Canniff tied today's contest with his second career goal in the final home match of his Stonehill career.

Skyhawks send seniors off with win in final home match

EASTON, Mass. (October 29, 2013) – The Stonehill College men's soccer team trailed 1-0 at halftime, but two goals in the second half gave Stonehill a 2-1 comeback victory over visiting Saint Michael's College in Northeast-10 play this afternoon at Skyhawk Field.

After over 35 minutes of scoreless action, Saint Michael's broke through in the 37th minute, when junior back Colby Ajoku (Weymouth, Mass./Boston College High) headed home a corner kick attempt by sophomore midfielder Jack Loud (Richmond, Vt./Mount Mansfield Union) to give the Purple Knights a 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.

Stonehill responded in the 58th minute, when senior captain Timothy Canniff (Billerica, Mass./Billerica) found the back of the net for the second time this season. Sophomore forward Drew Montano (Avon, Conn./Avon) fired a shot from the right side of the penalty area that hit the crossbar, and Canniff was able to collect the rebound and beat Saint Michael's keeper Nicco Roque (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) to tie the contest.

With under ten minutes remaining in the match, junior forward Ben Zandonella (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor) scored perhaps the goal of  the year for Stonehill, blasting a shot into the upper right corner of the net from the left side of the box to put the Skyhawks ahead in the waning moments.

Junior captain Adam Colella (Wilmington, Mass./St. John's Prep) made five saves in Stonehill's win, while Roque stopped four shots for the Purple Knights.

Today's contest was a rematch of the September 7th inaugural Catholic Cup consolation match between the Skyhawks and Purple Knights, also held at Skyhawk Field. Stonehill won that contest, 3-2, on the strength of penalty kick goals by Zandonella and senior midfielder Kevin Gilmartin (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock), and a game-winning tally by junior midfielder Will Miller (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Shoreham-Wading River).

Today's match also served as the last home contest for seniors Gilmartin, Canniff, and Kevin Beckley (Congers, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep). Stonehill (5-9-1, 4-7-1 NE-10) will wrap up its regular season this Saturday in Syracuse, N.Y., as the Skyhawks are set to take on the Dolphins of Le Moyne College at noon. Saint Michael's (5-9, 5-7 NE-10) will play its regular season finale Friday afternoon at Assumption College.

With one match remaining on the schedule, Stonehill currently sits in tenth place in the Northeast-10 standings, just two points out of a tie for the eighth spot. With a win on Saturday, the Skyhawks could still sneak into the Northeast-10 Championship as the eighth seed, with help from Saint Michael's and Saint Rose, which are still ahead of Stonehill in the standings.

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