Story Courtesy of Stevens Athletics

HOBOKEN, N.J. – The No. 1 seeded Stevens Institute of Technology men's soccer team advanced to the MAC Freedom Championship with a strong performance on both ends of the field, downing No. 4 Misericordia 3-0 in Wednesday night's semifinal.

25 days after rallying in the second half for a 1-all tie in Dallas, Pa., Stevens (8-3-6) left little doubt on Wednesday, scoring twice in the first half, tacking on a third early in the second.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Martin Fields notched the first on-target shot of the day, heading a Luke Carey corner kick low in the 10^th minute, but Santino Jannotte was well-positioned for the save. Ben Goldberg had one shot blocked and another miss wide, and Emerson Kekesi was off target with a pair of shots, all in the first 21 minutes of the match.

As the match entered the 29^th minute, off a Stevens throw in from the 18-yard box extended, Ryan O'Byrne one-timed a rocket from 20 yards out into the right corner, leaving zero opportunity for Jannotte to even get a hand on the shot. As the match went inside five minutes until the half, Omar Martinez inserted a near-side corner across the six-yard box to the area just inside the far-side post where Sam Gjokaj emerged amidst a sea of traffic in front, delivering a header off the post and in for a 2-0 Stevens halftime lead.

Less than nine minutes into the second half, Goldberg took advantage of two missed clearing headers from the Cougars, playing one ahead for Kekesi, who dribbled in, crossed right-to-left through the box, and fired one off the right post and in.

The Ducks back line was stellar as usual, holding the Cougars without a shot on goal until the 81^st minute, Misericordia's lone on-target attempt of the match.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Kekesi scored for the sixth time in his last three matches
• Sebastian Montoulieu earned his second straight shutout and third of the year; he's allowed just five goals in his last 715 minutes in net, lowering his goal-against average for the year from 1.38 to 1.01
• O'Byrne scored just his second collegiate goal in 48 collegiate matches and Gjokaj scored his first as a Duck in his 14^th appearance of the season

UP NEXT
The Ducks will host Lebanon Valley -- who defeated FDU-Florham, 6-3, in the other semifinal Wednesday – on Saturday at 6 PM with the winner receiving the league's auto-bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
 
#AllRise