 Connecticut College secured a dramatic victory over Amherst College in the NESCAC Men's Soccer Quarterfinals, prevailing 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a hard-fought 1-1 draw in regulation time at Hitchcock Field.
Goalkeeper Peter Silvester emerged as the hero for Connecticut College, delivering a masterful performance with 11 saves during regulation and overtime, before denying two Amherst attempts in the decisive shootout.
Amherst dominated the early stages, forcing Silvester into three crucial saves within the opening 10 minutes. However, Connecticut College weathered the storm and broke the deadlock in the 27th minute when Matt Quiros-Newton capitalized on a scoring opportunity to give his team a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
Amherst responded with renewed determination in the second half, eventually leveling the score through Michael Cherico's strike with just over 19 minutes remaining. Despite late pressure from both sides, including a crucial save from Silvester in the dying seconds, neither team could find a winning goal, sending the match to overtime.
The extra periods produced no further breakthroughs, leading to a tense penalty shootout. After an initial exchange of successful penalties, Silvester took center stage, producing two consecutive saves to swing the momentum in Connecticut College's favor. Marco Perugini and Gavin Mpiana confidently converted their spot-kicks to secure a 4-2 shootout victory and a place in the NESCAC semifinals.
Silvester's exceptional performance between the posts proved instrumental in Connecticut College's triumph, highlighting his composure and shot-stopping prowess under pressure.
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