Wentworth 2, WPI 1

Box Score

Babson Park, MA - Senior captian Chris Hartmann (Hopewell Junction, NY) scored two first-half goals and senior goalie Joe Simon (Pittsfield, MA) made seven saves to lead the Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards to a 2-1 victory over the WPI Engineers in the second game of the 2007 Babson Invitational Men's Soccer Tournament at Hartwell-Rogers Field on Friday.

Wentworth built a 2-0 lead the first half, as junior Geoff Hackett (Medfield, MA) twice assisted Hartmann on corner kick goals. The first came just 2:25 into the game, when Hackett's corner rolled all the way through the box to a streaking Hartmann, who knocked it in for the game's first score. The two hooked up again at 19:36, when Hartmann headed Hackett's corner kick past WPI keeper Steve Hoffer (Lake Placid , NY) to make it 2-0.

WPI cut its deficit in half early in the second session, as junior Jason Gray (Carver, MA) picked up a loose ball at midfield and sparked a 2-of-1 break. After carrying the ball all the way into the box, Gray sent a perfect cross to junior Ben Gilde (Manchester, NH), who converted the breakaway feed for the Engineers' first goal at 51:35.

The two teams played evenly throughout the remainder of the contest, with WPI's best chance coming when senior David Zuniga (Cromwell , CT) hit a glancing header that bounced near the left post before being cleared off the goal line by a Wentworth defender with 25 minutes remaining. First-year Thomas Cucinotta (Easton, MA) would provide the Engineers with another opportunity when he fired a shot from 25 yards out, but Simon made a clean catch just inside the left post to preserve the lead.

Hoffer finishd with two saves in defeat for WPI.

Release courtesy of Babson Sports Information Department