CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – An explosive three-goal first half propelled sixth-seeded Newbury College past third-seeded Lesley University in a New England Collegiate Conference First Round upset tonight on Edward Field.
The win moves the Nighthawks to 11-8-1 on the year and advances them to the NECC Semifinals where they will meet second-seeded Regis College on the Pride's campus at 6:00p on Friday night. The season comes to an end for the Lynx at 6-11-2.
Nighthawks freshman Alex Strafer (Auburn, Mass.) ignited the offense for the visitors with his first of two tallies in just the fourth minute of play, staking an early 1-0 lead for Newbury. The rookie forward would strike again late in the half in the 41st for his eighth of the season.
The Newbury offense would not let up before the end of the first stanza as fellow freshman Nilton De Andrade (Boston, Mass.) scored what would be the game-winner just 20-seconds later to extend the Nighthawks lead to 3-0.
Lesley would quickly climb back into the match after the break as senior Harrison Sidell (Newhall, Calif.) found the back of the net just 40-seconds into play in the second half to cut the deficit to 3-1. The Lynx continued to pepper the Nighthawks cage but Newbury goalie Jarrod Smith (Watertown, N.Y.) stood tall, turning away three Sidell attempts in a two minute span midway through the half.
Each side would have a flurry of chances to add another marker until Newbury sophomore Ethan Weinstein (Sunapee, N.H.) would put the game out of reach for the Lynx with an unassisted marker in the 86th minute to extend the Nighthawks advantage to 4-1.
Sidell would strike again with just 1:31 left on the clock for his sixth goal of the season to pull within two, but it would be too little, too late as Newbury hung on to complete the upset.
In other NECC action, fifth-seeded Elms College upset fourth-seeded Mitchell College 2-0 and will go on to face top-seeded Daniel Webster College in the other NECC Semifinal matchup on Friday afternoon.