Box Score MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior Christian Rodriguez (Manchester, N.H.) scored twice as second-seeded Southern New Hampshire University posted a 3-0 victory over sixth-seeded Wilmington (Del.) University in the second round of the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship Saturday at Larkin Field. The Penmen, who are ranked No. 1 in the latest NSCAA Division II national poll, won their 19th straight to improve to 19-1 overall, while the Wildcats see their season come to a close at 13-6-2.
SNHU will next face top-seeded LIU Post, a 6-1 winner over Dowling College, in the NCAA East Region final. That game will be at the highest remaining seed in the Atlantic Region, which will be determined Sunday when second-seeded Notre Dame (Ohio) faces third-seeded Mercyhurst.
Southern New Hampshire struck twice in the final 8:04 of the first half to build a 2-0 lead at intermission. In the 37th minute, senior Brian Francolini (Ellington, Conn.), who had just come in off the bench, took a through ball down the middle from junior Miguel Carneiro (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), deked a Wilmington defender and fired from the right past Wildcat keeper Spyros Stergiotis for his sixth goal of the season. Rodriguez made it 2-0 1:58 before halftime when he took a low crossing left-to-right crossing pass across the box and fired low as he scored his fourth goal of the season. Kenny Doublette (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) also registered an assist on the play.
Rodriguez added an insurance goal at the 73:28 mark when he intercepted a clearing pass from a Wilmington defender and ripped a shot from 25 yards that found the upper left corner.
After an even first 20 minutes, Southern New Hampshire gradually took control, outshooting the Wildcats 21-7. Senior Dom DiMaggio (Rome, N.Y.) made three saves en route to his seventh shutout of the season and the 12th of the season for the Penmen, including their last six straight. Stergiotis played the first 84:16 and made four saves before being relieved by Chad Jenkins, who was not forced to make a save. The Penmen also held a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Southern New Hampshire did not face LIU Post in the regular season and last played the Pioneers in 2011, defeating them 2-0 in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
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