2013 MEN'S SOCCER SEASON IN REVIEW

BOSTON, Mass. – After a disappointing campaign in 2012, the Emmanuel College men's soccer team rebounded in 2013 to post a 9-12 record and return to the GNAC playoffs for just the third time in the past seven seasons. Their nine wins is the second highest single-season total in the program's 12 years while their record in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference is just the second time in program-history that they've posted an above .500 winning percentage in conference play.

The Saints came out of the gates a bit sluggish, dropping their first three contests including a 4-0 defeat to the sixth ranked team in the nation, Montclair State, but all they needed was to return home to find the win column. On Sept. 7, Emmanuel downed Daniel Webster, 2-1, behind a late goal from sophomore midfielder David Field (Laguna Niguel, Calif.).

Following a pair of non-conference losses to Wheaton and Lesley, EC found itself with a disappointing 1-5 record but from that point on, would close out the year going 8-7. They earned their first GNAC victory with an impressive come-from-behind showing against Mount Ida, scoring two second half goals to erase a one-goal deficit at the half to win, 2-1.

Emmanuel closed out the month of September strong, capturing three consecutive victories with wins over Newbury (2-1), Curry (2-0) and Rivier (2-1). Unfortunately, the momentum halted in early October as they'd drop three straight decisions to open the new month. Back-to-back 2-1 losses to Emerson College and Norwich University, capped by a 4-2 defeat by Saint Joseph's Maine left the Saints on the outside picture of the GNAC tournament with just two weeks to play.

The Saints regrouped and closed out the regular season with a few gutsy performances to secure a GNAC tournament appearance. Key wins down the stretch included a 3-1 victory over Anna Maria College on Oct. 14 in which senior Allan Parrelli (Reading, Mass.), junior James Carroll (Guilford, Conn.) and sophomore Kurt Pruner (Penfield, N.Y.) all scored first-half goals to secure the win. Another key win down the stretch came in a 4-1 result over Suffolk University. Carroll scored twice in the opening stanza while a late goal from Parrelli added some insurance for just the program's third-ever victory against their cross-town foes.

The most important win of the year came on October 26 on the Saints senior day celebration when they were able to defeat defending two-time GNAC Champion Albertus Magnus College, 1-0, to lock in their tourney berth. Freshman Zach Foley's (Uncasville, Conn.) first collegiate goal couldn't have come at a better time to lead the Saints to their first win over the Falcons since a 1-0 victory in 2010.

With the win, EC secured the No. 6 seed in the GNAC tourney and would go up against the No. 3 seed, Johnson & Wales University. The score was deadlocked at 0-0 much of the first half but the Wildcats were able to steal the momentum with a goal in the 44^th minute and sneak into halftime with a 1-0 lead. Emmanuel was never able to regroup and it showed as JWU struck twice early in the second half to put the game out of reach and propel them to an eventual GNAC Championship.

Senior Danny Richman (Medfield, Mass.) finished the year with a team-high 11 points on three goals and five assists while there was a four-way tie for second with nine points between Parrelli, Carroll, freshman Wojciech Kopacz (Garfield, N.J.) and sophomore Stefano Sainato (Albany, N.Y.).

Junior goalkeeper Garrett Charette (West Springfield, Mass.) saw most of the action in net, making 118 saves on the year which ranks second-most for stops in a single season. He notched six wins on the year which is also good for second-most in a season while his 1575 minutes played in goal was a new single-season record for keepers, as were his 17 starts in goal.

Foley and Field were both selected to the GNAC All-Conference Third Team while senior captain Ryan Brady (Springfield, Vt.) was appointed to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team.

This year's senior class certainly left their mark on the program as they'll graduate among the all-time career leaders in several categories. Brady graduates as the program record holder for games played (76) and games started (67). Richman ranks first all-time in assists (14) and fifth in total points (30.). Parrelli is second all-time in games played (74) only behind Brady while his 20 career goals rank third all-time. The Saints also bid farewell to co-captain Kevin Esposito (Gales Ferry, Conn.) who missed most of the year due to injury as well as senior Bill Bernier (Stafford, N.H.).