Box Score NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – A goal by Mohamed Toufik (Grand Synthe, France) 4:17 into the second half proved to be the difference as second-seeded Southern New Hampshire University topped No. 1 seed Merrimack College 2-1 in the finals of the Northeast-10 Men's Soccer Championship Sunday afternoon at Martone-Mejail Field. The Penmen improve to 17-3 overall, while the Warriors, who saw a 13-game unbeaten streak snapped, now stand 14-3-2 on the season.
For Southern New Hampshire, it marks their fourth NE-10 Tournament title since joining the league in 2000, with the other coming in 2000, 2002, and 2008. Both SNHU and Merrimack are expected to earn bids to the NCAA Tournament that kicks off Thursday. The NCAA selection show will air on ncaa.com on Monday (Nov. 5) at 7:00 pm.
The hosts trailed 1-0 at halftime but tied the game just 2:14 into the second half. Douglas Searl sent a cross along the end line from the right side over to Augusto Silva. Silva's first shot was snuffed out by Penmen keeper Dom DiMaggio (Rome, N.Y.), but Silva's second effort tied the game and gave him his second goal of the season.
The Penmen reclaimed the lead in the 50th minute on a restart. Keegan Campbell (Norton, Mass.) played a long ball into the box that Jordan Branco (Norton, Mass.) collected. After making a move he gave it off to Toufik, who found the right side of the goal for his seventh tally of 2012.
Southern New Hampshire staked itself to a 1-0 lead just past the game's 25-minute mark. Campbell made a long throw into the box from the right side that bounced off several players before Sam Kelley (Bedford, N.H.) controlled it and fired into the upper left corner of the goal for his third goal of the season.
DiMaggio, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the championship, made two saves, while Merrimack keeper Jose Silva turned aside six shots and the Warriors were also credited with a team save. The Penmen outshot Merrimack 21-9 on the afternoon. Southern New Hampshire also generated a 7-2 corner kick advantage.
In addition to DiMaggio, Toufik and Ruben Resendes (Fall River, Mass.) were named to the All-Championship Team from Southern New Hampshire.
With the Southern New Hampshire women also winning their Northeast-10 tournament title on Sunday, SNHU becomes just the third school to claim both NE-10 soccer crowns in the same year. Springfield College did it in 1989 while Franklin Pierce achieved the feat in 2006.
