By: Story Courtesy of Stevens Athletic Communications

WORCESTER, Mass. (November 12, 2023) -  Graduate Justin Cross made a career-high 12 saves, but it was not enough as the Stevens Institute of Technology men's soccer team fell to No. 13 Amherst 1-0 after double overtime in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament Sunday afternoon. The game was played at the campus of Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

The Ducks finish the season with a record of 11-3-6. Stevens repeated as MAC Freedom Champions for the third-straight season and earned yet another berth to the NCAA Tournament for the program. In the past three seasons, the Ducks have not lost a game in regulation, forcing either overtime or penalty kicks in each postseason defeat (2021 Tufts, 2022 Chicago, 2023 Amherst). Amherst moves on to the Round of 16 and will play the winner of Trinity (TX) and Occidental at a location yet to be determined. On the bottom half of the bracket, Middlebury will take on SUNY Cortland.

Amherst was able to generate a bunch of chances in the first 20 minutes. Despite graduate Bruno Andino recording an attempt in the tenth minute, the Mammoths had six shot attempts, testing Cross four times. Junior Emerico Vespucci provided an attempt for the Duck at the 34th minute mark, but he missed the target. Amherst forced two more saves out of Cross in the final five minutes of the half, as the score remained tied at zero at the break. 

The Mammoths started to flex their muscles a bit more as the second half went on, getting a majority of the shot attempts and the possession in the game. Cross continued to be a brick wall for the Ducks, as Amherst continued to pepper the Duck goal, including coming close on a few occasions. The Duck defense stood tall however, not allowing Amherst to break them. Both of Stevens' shots on target came in the 76th minute, but both attempts were saved. Sophomore Brian Babovic tested the Mammoth keeper from around midfield, and the goalies stumbled and just punched the ball over the net. Cross made another save with 1:03 reading on the clock, as the game would head overtime tied at zero.

Overtime finally saw the Mammoths get the breakthrough as they converted in the 96th minute off of a corner kick to take the lead. In the second half of overtime, the Ducks registered three shots in desperation mode, but were unable to convert as Amherst snuck out the 1-0 victory to advance to the next round.

Top Performers

• Cross made a career high 12 saves.
• The Ducks totaled seven shots with two landing on target.
• Babovic led the Ducks in shots with three.

The Opponent

• Declan Sung scored on an assist from Wyatt McCarthy.
• Amherst had 25 shots with 13 going on target.
• Max Landa made two saves.

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