October 21, 2009

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A hat-trick by Zachary Kabelac in the first 27 minutes of action helped lift MIT to a 4-1 victory over Elms College in a non-conference men’s soccer tilt on Wednesday afternoon. Following the inaugural meeting between both programs, the Engineers’ ledger improved to 8-6 on the year while the Blazers dipped to 3-12 overall.

Ben Lewis set Kabelac up for his first goal of the day after 6:38 elapsed in the contest. Lewis sent a throughball which Kabelac guided past a trio of converging defenders and placed in the lower right corner of the net. Just over five minutes later, Max Stein-Golenbock intercepted a pass and found Kabelac for what proved to be the game-winning goal. The hat-trick was completed in the 27th minute when Kabelac converted a feed from Christian Therkelsen. MIT recorded its final goal of the game with less than 10 minutes remaining in the half. Peter Bojo put up a throughball which Chase Anderson corralled and tapped in for his first tally of the season.

Despite facing a 4-0 deficit, Elms continued to attack in the second stanza. In the 60th minute, Josh Chagnon sent a dangerous cross into the box which was stopped on a flying grab by MIT netminder Javier Duarte, denying Brendon Gibb a chance to redirect the ball. Later on, Duarte hauled in a point-blank save on a shot from Courtney Johnson that came from three yards out. With less than six minutes remaining in the game, Justin Pearson’s blast caromed off the crossbar and the ensuing header by Nick Pellegrini was just wide of the net. The Blazers ended the shutout in the 87th minute following frantic play by both sides in front of the goal. Thomas Ferrulo initiated the attack with a corner kick that was redirected to a seemingly open net. MIT defender Samuel Acquah blocked the shot at the goal line but Chagnon sent the rebound in for his first marker of the year.

In net, Dylan Rankin did not face a shot in 30 minutes of action as Duarte posted two saves for the Engineers. Ryan Sullivan collected seven saves for the Blazers.

Both squads return to conference play on Saturday, Oct. 24. MIT will travel to NEWMAC foe Wheaton College while Elms will make the trip to New England Collegiate Conference rival Southern Vermont College.