Story Courtesy of Stevens Athletics

Glenside, Pa. – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's soccer team won its sixth straight MAC Freedom Conference Championship Saturday, 2-1, over Arcadia, scoring twice in a span of less than two minutes early in the second half, then weathering a late push from the Knights.

How It Happened
The opening half was played at a fast pace, with No. 4 Stevens (11-4-4) creating the better scoring opportunities despite neither side finding the back of the net. Less than two minutes into the match, Lucas Mendes tested No. 2 Arcadia goalkeeper Randy Heidorn with back-to-back shots on target, but both attempts were turned away. Bobby Boyke answered at the other end, making an early save on a shot from Juan Pozo to keep the game scoreless.

The Ducks continued to apply pressure throughout the first 45 minutes. Stevens earned three corner kicks and finished the half with nine shots, repeatedly forcing Heidorn into action. Consecutive saves on attempts by Joseph Conte and Martin Fields preserved the deadlock midway through the half, while chances from RJ Dougherty, Omar Martinez, Lucas Mendes and Matthew Murillo all kept the Arcadia backline on its toes.

Stevens' persistence paid off shortly after the intermission. In the 55th minute, Emerson Kekesi broke the stalemate when he finished a setup from Dougherty, scoring his ninth goal of the season and giving the Ducks a 1-0 lead. Barely 100 seconds later, Stevens doubled its advantage when Kekesi turned provider, finding Mendes for a 2-0 lead.

That cushion was quickly halved, with the Knights converting a penalty kick less than three minutes later, setting up a wild final half-hour.

Arcadia pressed for an equalizer over the remainder of the contest, generating nine shots and three corner kicks down the stretch, but Boyke made four of his five saves on the night to preserve the win.

Inside The Box Score

• Stevens won for the third time in five days and fourth time in seven days dating back to last Saturday, including two road wins in the last three days
• Kekesi was named the Tournament's Most Valuable Player
• Stevens is now responsible for the last two instances of a MAC Freedom men's soccer team winning two road matches in a conference tournament (2021)

Up Next
The Ducks will play in the NCAA Championships and will learn their tournament fate during the Selection Show on Monday at 11:00 AM.

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