SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - It played like a playoff game, and the stakes were certainly high for the American International College men's soccer team and Saint Anselm College: the winner guaranteed itself no worse than third in the Northeast 10 Conference Championship Tournament.
The Yellow Jackets were the victors, securing a 1-0 win over the Hawks on Saturday, October 24.
AIC is now 8-4-4 overall and 5-2-2 in the NE10.
The Yellow Jackets dominated the first half, controlling possession for the vast majority of the period and outshooting the Hawks 13-2.
The lone goal was a tremendous effort by
Sandro Alvarez Jimenez, who cut into the box and won a battle for the loose ball. His initial shot was saved, but he followed up the rebound and his second shot trickled over the line at 20:53 for his second of the season.
Saint Anselm's David Hood denied Alvarez Jimenez of a second goal twice in the first five minutes of the second half, but from there the Hawks tilted the field. Javier Sola Martinez was excellent, however, turning back all three chances he faced and keeping AIC ahead.
The defense locked in midwa through the half, slowing the Hawks attack from there and keeping the sheet clean as AIC held on for the win.
Sola Martinez's shutout was the seventh of the season and 10th of his career, both of which rank him second in AIC history, behind only current goalkeeper coach Lucas Morales-Fernandez, who had eight shutouts in 2021 and 12 for his career.
It also ensured that AIC will play at least one postseason game on Abdow Field for the first time since that 2021 season. That year saw the Yellow Jackets finish second in the NE10 and reach the NE10 Championship Game, as well as the NCAA Tournament for the first time program history.
AIC will await the final seedings for the conference championship, but has a nonconference game to play. The Yellow Jackets will face Boston College on Wednesday, October 28 at 3:30 p.m. The matchup will be a reunion of sorts; Eagles assistant coach
Luke Perry is AIC's all-time men's soccer coaching wins leader, and AIC's coaches,
Jake Durham and
Derek Pereira, as well as Morales-Fernandez, all played at AIC under Perry.
