WPI 2, Coast Guard 1

Box Score                

Worcester, MA --- Jason Hopkins (Mendon, MA) notched a pair of goals off long throw-ins from Kevin Ducharme (Bedford, MA), the last of which coming with just 3:08 remaining in the contest, to help WPI to a thrilling 2-1 win over visiting Coast Guard in the NEWMAC men’s soccer conference opener for both teams. The Engineers are now 6-1 on the season and 1-0 in conference action while the Bears even their mark at 3-3 overall and 0-1 in NEWMAC play.

Hopkins opened the scoring in the 12th minute when he headed a perfectly executed throw-in Ducharme into the upper right corner for his team-leading seventh goal of the season. Coast Guard got the equalizer exactly 10 minutes into the second half when Nick Devine (Rocky Hill, NC) knocked home a nifty left to right cross by Walter Walker (Kansas City, MO).

The game remained tied until late in the 86th minute when Ducharme found a streaking Hopkins for his fourth game-winning tally of the season.

The game was tight throughout as the Engineers took seven of the game’s 12 shots while Coast Guard held a slight 4-3 edge in corner kicks.

WPI netminder Paul Moan (Watertown, MA) registered two stops en route to improving his record to 4-1 on the season. Moan made a point blank stop midway through the first half and then was aided by Matthew Gonsalves (Swansea, MA), who blocked the subsequent rebound off the goal line. Tim Olah (Glastonbury, CT) was credited with two saves in net for the Bears.

WPI is off until Thursday at 7pm when they head to Nashua, NH for a matchup with Rivier. Coast Guard returns to action on Wednesday with a 7pm contest against local rival Connecticut College.