MIT MEN'S SOCCER BLANKS SAINTS

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The MIT men's soccer team defeated Emmanuel College, 9-0, in a non-conference match-up at Steinbrenner Stadium on Wednesday night.

Cardinal and Gray senior Sean Bingham (Garden City, N.Y.) paced MIT with a pair of goals and an assist, while freshman Binh Le (Portage, Mich.) potted a pair of markers as well. Junior Kareem Itani (Dallas, Texas), sophomores Gregory Hui (Alameda, Calif.), David Merchan (Bow, N.H.) and freshmen Wesley Woo (Palo Alto, Calif.) and Logan McLaughlin (Park City, Utah) all notched a single goal that accounted for the Engineer's nine goals in the contest. Senior Austin Freel (San Diego, Calif.) dished out a career-high three assists, while classmate John Kramer (Glastonbury, Conn.) handed out two helpers of his own 

MIT started the scoring early and didn't let up until the buzzer sounded at the end of the game. The Engineers registered two goals in a span of 46 seconds, starting at the 24:04 mark of the stanza. Bingham, now MIT's all-time leader in career points, with 126, notched his first marker of the game on a thru pass via Freel from the 40 yard line. MIT's second goal came on a cross by Bingham as he found Woo on a cross from the corner of the box, giving the Cardinal and Gray the 2-0 advantage.

Freel sent his second assist of the game to Itani five minutes later on a thru pass from the logo at midfielder, while Merchan scored his goal off a rebound of the post with one tick remaining on the first half clock. Freshman Ben Kaplan (Goshen, N.Y.) sent a rocket off the right goal post, which sent the ball ricocheting back into the field of play. As time expired Merchan sent a shot into the lower left corner of the net, extending the Engineers lead to 4-0 at the break.

Bingham began the scoring in the second half, much as he did the game. The senior was awarded a penalty kick in the 52^nd minute making MIT's difference now 5-0. Bingham is now 6-for-6 all-time in penalty kicks in his outstanding career.

Over the span of the next 20 minutes, MIT found the back of the net four more times. McLaughlin headed the ball home off a corner kick from Freel, Hui finished a cross from the end line via Itani, and Kramer connected with Le for the Engineers final pair of goals, ending the night for the Cardinal and Gray up 9-0.

With nine goals tonight, the Engineers have amassed a season total of 28 goals in six games. This is the most number of goals in a six game stretch to open the season since 1961 when that team scored 22 goals over their opening six games of the campaign. Also, with 28 goals in six games, MIT is already half way to the all-time record for most goals in a single season by the team. The record of 56 is the current mark and was set back in 2012.

MIT senior goalkeeper Jake Amereno (Commack, N.Y.) stopped three shots, registered his third shutout of the season and improved his record to 4-1-0 in between the pipes. Emmanuel net minder Joe Russo (Saugus, Mass.) made five saves for the Saints. The Engineers held a 25-8 advantage in shots and a 10-0 differential in corner kicks.

MIT (5-1-0) travels to Babson College on Saturday, September 26 for a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) tilt with the Beavers at 2:00 p.m., while Emmanuel (3-4-0) heads to Lasell College for a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchup with the Lasers the same day at noon.

*Release courtesy of MIT Sports Information Dept.