Springfield, Mass. - September 18, 2021 - The Springfield College men's soccer program rattled off an impressive 7-1 victory over Emerson College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday afternoon at Brock-Affleck Field.

The Pride step up to 3-2 on the season and open NEWMAC play with a 1-0 record, while Emerson College dips to 1-3-1 and 0-1 in the NEWMAC. Springfield ripped 21 shots in the game en route to the seven goals. The victory marks the most goals scored in a conference match since September 28, 2013 and their second-highest goal total of the season. 

Aiden Casinghino (Brimfield, Mass.) gave the Pride a nice second-half boost recording three goals in a ten-minute span. Finn Welch (Williamstown, Mass.) added a pair of goals for Springfield. Patrick Silva (Pittsfield, Mass.) and Clayton Knibbs (Madison, Conn.) anchored a defense as the Lions were only able to place two shots on frame the enter game. The Pride held a slight advantage in corner kicks with 4-3. 

Emerson received their lone goal from Emmett Biewald. Jacob Ramer had four saves in the setback. 

At 25:02, Emerson struck first as Ben Deeming directed a pass to Biewald, who clipped the ball off the crossbar and in for a 1-0 Lions score. Springfield gained the momentum back in the 36th-minute as a strong effort from Ethan Boileau (Branford, Conn.) allowed for Thomas Sojka (Bellingham, Mass.) to score to even the game at 1-1. Springfield would jump out to a 2-1 lead at the 41:06 mark, as Jack Rosenberg (Simsbury, Conn.) squared up and fired a shot from the top of the box off a Derick Arhin (South Windsor, Conn.) feed. At 42:02, Springfield attempted to add to their first half advantage with a pair of attempts from Boileau and Chayne Bruneau (Glastonbury, Conn.), but Ramer would make two strong efforts to keep the Pride's lead at 2-1. 

Emerson looked to even the score early in the second half, but the Pride's backline swiped away any opportunity for the Lions to attack. At 59:44, Jack Habersaat (Acton, Mass.) placed a ball perfectly to Welch to give Springfield a 3-1 lead, then, at the 63:27 mark, Welch would push the Springfield lead to 4-1 off a dish from Boileau. From there, Casinghino would go on his scoring spree, which finished with a penalty kick at the 78:36 mark and allowed Springfield to cruise to the 7-1 victory. 

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Photo by Danielle Schmeling