Gulls Advance to ECAC Semifinals; Gibbs and Martin Each Net Two

2014-15 Endicott Athletics Championship Central

2014 Division III New England ECAC Tournament

BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott men's soccer team hosted Elms College on Wednesday evening for the ECAC Division III New England Quarterfinals. After two goals apiece from freshman Thomas Martin (Derry, N.H.) and senior Connor Gibbs (Westborough, Mass.) the Gulls soared to a 5-1 victory to advance to the semifinals. Endicott improves to 10-7-4 while the Blazers end their season at 9-9-3.

Endicott will await the results of the Curry at Bridgewater State game that will take place at 7:00 p.m. tonight. The Gulls will play the winner at the highest seed remaining in the tournament on Saturday, November 15^th. The two possible locations are at Norwich or in Gulls territory.

The first half was controlled by the Gulls as they outshot the Blazers 14-6 while earning three corner kicks. The Blue and Green worked their final third with huge efforts by junior Diego Slobotzky (Mexico City, Mexico) and sophomore Brion Likaj (Salem, Mass.) as they led the attack forcing Elms goalkeeper, junior Christian Kostka (Oxford, Conn.) to make three saves.

At the 28 minute mark the Gulls got on the board first after Martin posted his second goal of the season after he and sophomore Tyler Johnson (North Andover, Mass.) and junior Mark Greco (Belchertown, Mass.) made a crisp play to goal.

Six minutes later the Blazers almost made it a tie game after freshman CJ Dabkowski (West Springfield, Mass.) blasted a shot to the low left corner but the ball cranked off the post as the Gulls ended the half on top 1-0.

The second half was again controlled by the Blue and Green as they outshot the Blazers 13-9 while forcing the Elms goalkeepers to combine for five saves. Endicott boosted the lead up to two in the opening minutes of the half after Likaj posted his second goal of the season after controlling a throw-in by senior Jed Magnusson (Kingston, N.H.) and heading the ball into the lower right corner.

10 minutes later Endicott would increase the lead to three as Martin earned his second goal of the game after controlling a crisp feed from Slobotzky and blasting the ball into the back of the net. At the 72 minute mark the Gulls controlled the tempo and pushed their limits in the final third as Gibbs recorded his first goal of the game after controlling a rebound off Kostka off his initial shot and sending the ball back into the net to the right corner for the 4-0 lead.

The Blazers countered back quickly after only 33 seconds went by until senior Conor Rieker (Agawam, Mass.) tallied the long goal of the game for Elms after controlling a pass from sophomore Safa Saady (Baghdad, Iraq) and finding the back of the net.

Endicott would tally one more goal as Gibbs recorded his second of the night and sixth of the season after again controlling a rebound off an initial shot by junior Zach Rizzo (Redding, Conn.) to lift the Gulls to a 5-1 victory.

With the victory Endicott improves to the program's best overall record since 1998 and their first 10 wins in a season since 2001. The Gulls will advance to the program's second semifinal appearance, the last being back in 2012.