RINDGE, N.H. – A cold final day of November saw Post University Men's Soccer take on Franklin Pierce University, the top team in Division II Men's Soccer, in a Round of 16 matchup. A late first-half goal by graduate forward Aaron Sanchez, his first of two goals in the match, would propel the Ravens by the Eagles, 3-0, as they continue their pursuit of back-to-back National Championships. For Post, their season comes to a close with a record of 13-2-6, their fewest number of losses in a season since going 15-3-2 in the 2013 season.
THE BASICS
#4 Post University 0, #1 Franklin Pierce University 3
#4 Post University (13-2-6)
#1 Franklin Pierce University (18-0-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED
A relatively quiet first half saw neither team notch a shot opportunity in the first 15 minutes until graduate forward Younes Addar Khanoussi's shot which was corralled by junior goalkeeper
Soren Jensen to keep the score tied at zero. A few strong rushes during the middle of the half would lead to a couple of opportunities for the Eagles but the Raven defense would come up with some big blocks in the box to prevent senior goalkeeper Karl Vernet from being challenged.
Sanchez would put Franklin Pierce on the scoreboard with just over two minutes remaining in the first half on their third shot attempt against Jensen. Graduate midfielder Lucio Yahia would hit junior defender Pedro Branco in the right side who fired a cross pass to Sanchez near the middle who fired it by Jensen into the lower right corner.
Sanchez would tack on a second goal in the 58
th minute of the second half when Khanoussi fed graduate midfielder Jeronimo Ferrando Ferri on the right side before Ferri danced around in space to locate Sanchez wide open near the top of the box. Without hesitation, Sanchez would unload a shot that would freeze Jensen in the center of the net and hit the top right corner of the net to give the Ravens a two-goal edge with just over 30 minutes remaining in the match.
Sophomore forward
Aritz Uriate had a chance to score less than two minutes later against Vernet, but his shot would go off the crossbar and carom out of harms way. Franklin Pierce would add a third goal in the 78
th minute when junior midfielder Caleb Williams took a pass from graduate forward Alvaro Rey Mira which slipped through Jensen's hands in net and gave the Ravens a 3-0 lead.
Post would manufacture just two shots on goal over the final 12 minutes but were unable to generate a goal, suffering just their second shutout loss of the season, both of which came at the hands of Franklin Pierce by scores of 3-0.
BY THE NUMBERS
- This is the first time this season in which Post University has lost on the road or at a neutral site, ending the season with an 8-1-3 record in such matches
- Appearing three times in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 16 starting back in 2019, Post University is now 0-3-0 all-time in that round of the tournament
- Aritz Uriate finishes the season with a team-leading 14 goals, doubling his goal output from a year ago in which he scored seven goals
- The loss snaps Post University's 16-game unbeaten streak which began after their 3-0 loss against Franklin Pierce on September 11th at home this season
