Erskine Ties NCAA Record in 6-0 Win Over Lasell

THE BASICS 

Score: 
Emmanuel College, 6; Lasell University, 0

Records: 
Emmanuel College Saints (6-2-1, 4-1 GNAC)
Lasell University Lasers (1-8, 0-5 GNAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Roberto Clemente Field

Date: Wednesday, September 29, 2021

THE LEAD – Junior forward Alec Erskine (Coventry, Conn.) netted a hat trick including consecutive goals in a total of eight seconds to lead Emmanuel College past Lasell University, 6-0, Wednesday evening in Great Northeast Athletic Conference Men's Soccer action.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Erskine got the scoring started just 8:08 into the action with his fifth goal of the season. Senior forward Robert Danielian (Watertown, Mass.) fired an initial shot from the right wing off the far post that came back into play, forcing the Lasers back line to attempt a clear but the ball ended up at Erskine's feet on the left wing and the junior drilled a left-footed strike into the opposite corner for the game-winner.
• The score remained at 1-0 until the 44^th minute of play as first year midfielder RJ Darrell (Wethersfield, Conn.) scored his second goal of the season. Sophomore Luke Hines (Bristol, Conn.) caught the Lasers backline flat footed with a quick throw in deep in their territory that Darrell turned and fired a shot that wasn't handled by first year keeper Gabriel Bazikas (Southborough, Mass.) to make it a 2-0 game before the half.
• Early in the second stanza, the Saints pressed forward, and it paid off as senior midfielder Campbell Shealy (Lexington, S.C.) drew a foul in the Lasell box to earn a penalty kick. Erskine calmly stepped to the line and converted the strike to make it a 3-0 game with a time of 53:19 into the match.
• On the ensuing restart, the Lasers played the ball back and it was immediately intercepted by Erskine who went right to goal to finish off the hat trick at the 53:27 marker, just eight seconds after his previous strike. The eight seconds between goals ties the NCAA Men's Soccer record for the fastest consecutive goals scored by the same player in a match. Erskine becomes the fifth player to accomplish the feat, the only Division III player and the first footballer since Ian Smith of Clayton State (D-II) to score twice in eight seconds back on September 3, 2015 vs. Erskine College.
• First year forward Joey Soucy (Attleboro, Mass.) got into the scoring column just 1:04 after Erskine's made history with his fifth goal of the campaign. Danielian dribbled the ball with pace to the byline and dropped it off to Soucy who one-timed the score to bump the lead to 5-0.
• Senior forward Kyle King (Gorham, Maine) netted his first goal of the campaign in the 83^rd minute, heading home a throw-in taken by junior back Cole Berry (Carver, Mass.), who was credited with the dime to account for the 6-0 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Senior keeper Vincent Conelli (West Hartford, Conn.) earned the shutout victory in net to improve to 4-1-1 on the year and 3-1 in GNAC action.
• Bazikas suffered the loss, making pair of saves to fall to 1-5 on the campaign. He was relieved by first year Antonio Centracchio (Springfield, Mass.) who made five stops over the final 24 minutes of action.
• The Saints outshot the Lasers by a 23-3 margin in the victory and won the corner kick battle, 4-1.
• Emmanuel is now 5-10-1 all-time vs. Lasell but has won five of the last eight meetings.

UP NEXT

• Emmanuel hits the road this weekend to face Albertus Magnus College on Saturday afternoon in New Haven, Conn. with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 PM following the EC vs AMC Women's Soccer tilt.
• Lasell is also on the road on Saturday, traveling to Dean College for a 12:00 PM GNAC affair.