CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Pine Manor College scored three goals in the second half, including two in the final seven minutes of play, to erase a 2-0 Lesley University lead and stun the Lynx 3-2 today in non-conference play on the PMC campus.
Gators freshmen Giovanni Valenzuela (El Paso, Texas) and Samuel Solano (El Paso, Texas) netted the game-tying and game-winning goals, respectively, in a 1:09 span in the waning moments of the second half to lift Pine Manor to 2-6-1 on the season. The defeat drops Lesley to 1-9-1 overall.
The Lynx offense started off hot as they built a 2-0 lead early in the opening half. Senior Harrison Sidell (Newhall, Calif.) opened the scoring in the third minute of play when he potted his first goal of the season, finishing a feed from freshman Tiago Pacheco (Cranston, R.I.) who earned his first point of his collegiate career.
Lesley junior Nuno Pereira (Sao Filipe, Fogo, Cape Verde) would follow Sidell and keep his prolific scoring streak alive in the eighth minute when he connected with fellow junior Angel Ruiz (Phoenix, Ariz.) for to net his team-leading fifth marker of the season. Pereira has now scored in four straight games while Ruiz earned his team-high third assist of the year.
Pine Manor freshman Ahkeem Thompson (Long Island, N.Y.) would cut the Lesley lead in half when he beat Lynx junior keeper James Webb (San Francisco, Calif.) in the 68th minute with a quick shot from the left side of the box and inside the near post. The goal was Thompson's first of his collegiate career.
Much of the play in the second half remained in the midfield and the Lesley lead appeared to be safe until Valenzuela raced to a free ball at the top of the 18-yard box and knotted the game at 2-2 with his first tally of the season.
The Gators would feed off the momentum of Valenzuela's goal and took the lead with the eventual game-winner when Solano hit a high, looping shot from the right side into the top left corner of the goal.
The Lynx would have a chance in the final minute of play with a scrum at the Pine Manor six-yard box, but the Gators backline would clear the threat and hold on for the victory.
Lesley, who kicked off a seven game road stretch this afternoon, will return to action on Saturday afternoon with a New England Collegiate Conference duel against Newbury College at 5:30p. The game will be played at Hormel Stadium in Medford, Mass. Pine Manor will head to Maine Maritime on Sunday for a 2:00p kickoff.