E8_mens soccer champs
0
Houghton HOUGHTON (8-12-0)
2
Winner Nazareth NAZARETH (13-1-3)
Houghton HOUGHTON
(8-12-0)
0
Final
2
Nazareth NAZARETH
(13-1-3)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Houghton HOUGHTON 0 0 0
Nazareth NAZARETH 2 0 2

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Nazareth blanks Houghton, 2-0, for E8 men's soccer title

Golden Flyers (13-1-3 overall) will make fourth NCAA Tournament appearance

E8_mens soccer genericROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Top-seeded Nazareth scored both of its goals in the first half Saturday and the Golden Flyers held off a second-half charge by second-seeded Houghton to take a 2-0 victory over the Highlanders in the championship game of the Empire 8 Conference Tournament for men's soccer.

The victory, at Golden Flyer Stadium, enabled the men's team to follow their female counterparts in claiming the Empire 8 Conference championship for the second time in three years. It marks Nazareth fifth E8 title overall and the Golden Flyers will make their fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament as a result. At 13-1-3 overall, Nazareth is unbeaten in its last 14 games (12-0-2). Houghton finished the 2021 season at 8-12 overall.

Tournament MVP Drew Decker delivered a first-half goal as did senior Sam Smyth to provide Nazareth with the necessary firepower. Freshman goalkeeper Logan Menna was called upon to make just two saves in completing his seventh shutout of the season.

Decker's fourth goal of the season came in the 27th minute after the Golden Flyers were applying pressure for most of the game. After receiving a pass from fellow freshman Michael Yates, Decker was able to curl a right-footed shot inside the right goal post and out of the reach of Highlanders' goalkeeper Sam Carpenter.

Just over four minutes later, the Golden Flyers lined up for a free kick outside the left part of the penalty area. Smyth sent the kick to the far post toward teammate Cooper LaValley, who allowed the ball to sail past him and into the corner of the goal for a 2-0 Nazareth advantage.

In desperation mode in the second half, Houghton dialed up the offensive intensity by generating six of their eight shots in the game. The Golden Flyers' back line, spearheaded by Andrew Vogler, Adrian Padilla, Alexander Gent and Owen Brignati, kept the Highlanders off the board. 

Nazareth finished with a 10-8 edge in shots and a 7-1 advantage on corner kicks.

In gaining the E8's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament, Nazareth will anxiously await the announcement at 1:30 p.m. on Monday.
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