WILLIASMSTOWN, MASS. – Williams first year head coach
Steffen Siebert will not soon forget his first game coaching the Ephs. Williams (1-0-0) trailed RPI (0-1-1)twice in the first half, 1-0 and 2-1, but the Ephs rallied to score four goals in the second half to capture a 5-2 victory.
"I thought for the whole 90 minutes the work ethic from the guys was incredible," said Siebert post-game. "We played a lot of guys today and no matter who came in we had an incredible work ethic."
Both teams scored on their first shot on goal. The visiting Engineers scored first at 2:42
on a mishandled pass in the back by Williams that enabled Reggie Durden to enter the box unimpeded. Durden was able to pick his spot and placed the ball into the back of the net from 10 yards out to the right of Eph goalie
Michael Davis.
At 6:31 the Ephs tied the game at one when
Nathan Song tallied on a feed from Jaime Holland and scored from close range.
RPI benefitted from an own goal by the Ephs at 19:13 and went up 2-1 when the Engineers' Josh Gaudiano crossed a ball from left of the goal into the box and it glanced off an Eph defender and went past goalie
Michael Davis.
Williams threatened in the thirty seventh minute when
Nick Ranieri off a restart put the ball in the right side of the box and the second of two Eph headers resulted in a save by RPI's netminder Luke Brezak.
RPI took a one goal lead into the break and the Engineers had three shots on goal in the first 45 minute, while the Ephs registered four.
Henry Osborn crossed ball into the box where it was deflected by an RPI defender to
Nathan Song who drilled the ball into the left side netting from 7 yards out to the left of Luke Brezak to tie the game at 2 at 52:58.
A long pass by the Ephs' Felippe Gutierrez from near the right sideline was headed by two RPI defenders, but not away from the goal.
Eamon Gara Grady cleaned up the RPI miscues banging the ball past Brezak to put the Ephs on top 3-2 at 58:24.
Brady Foehl doubled the Eph lead at 70:30 when he slotted home a low cross from
Jake Peters with his left foot to put Williams up 4-2.
The final Eph goal came at 89:32 when
Henry Osborn set up
Keel Brissett in the box from the left with a through ball and
Keel Brissett converted the Ephs fifth goal.
RPI goalie Luke Brezak made five saves on the day while the Ephs'
Michael Davis did not record a save. Williams outshot RPI 12-3.
"The biggest lesson from today was when adversity hit the guys were ready to respond and they responded in a big way in the second half," Siebert said. "We were down at the half and things didn't go as well as we had hoped in the first hal,f which really showed the resilience of the guys in the second half."
Next up for the Ephs is a NESCAC road match at Tufts on Saturday that will start at 2:00 PM in Medford, Mass.
