BABSON PARK, Mass.—Senior Dillon Ventura (Pittstown, N.J.) scored his second-game winning goal in as many games to help Babson College slip past Lesley University, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon in non-conference men's soccer action at Hartwell-Roger Field.
With the victory, Babson moves to 5-1-0 on the season while Lesley drops to 4-2-1 overall.
Ventura put the Beavers ahead for good in the 64th minute after they had carried the run of play and created scoring opportunities throughout the early minutes of the second half. The senior midfielder beat a Lesley defender to a bouncing ball just outside the six-yard box and volleyed home a shot that beat Lynx junior goalkeeper Nathan Trucks (Guilford, Conn.). The Green and White's defense was able to shut things down from there, allowing just one shot over the final 26 minute to preserve the victory.
Senior Mike Fisher (Longmeadow, Mass.) opened the scoring for Babson just over 16 minutes into the match when he drilled a low shot from 12 yards past the Trucks and inside the left post for a 1-0 edge. Lesley countered with a goal of its own though, scoring on its only first-half shot at the 18:10 mark to pull even. After the Beavers' senior goalkeeper Jackson Klein (Maplewood, N.J.) came off his line to punch away a cross, sophomore Spencer Irwin (Somers, N.Y.) collected the loose ball and drilled a 30-yard blast into the open net for his first goal of the season.
Each team had an opportunity to take the lead early in the second half as the Lynx Chris Hunt (San Diego, Calif.) sent a shot just wide of the frame after taking a pass from first-year Erik Johansen (West Harrison, N.Y.) in the 47th minute and junior Justin Laurenzo (Park Ridge, N.J.) got his head on a Tyler Carlos (Prospect, Conn.) corner kick that was saved by Trucks in the 53rd minute.
Klein did not have to make a save in earning his fifth win of the year for the Beavers, while Trucks, who had not conceded a goal entering the game, made five stops for the Lynx.
The Green and White held a 16-6 advantage in shots and a 6-2 bulge in corner kicks on the afternoon.
Babson will be back in action on Sunday afternoon when they host No. 2 Williams at 1 p.m. while Lesley will travel to take on Emerson on Wednesday night.