Box Score MANCHESTER, N.H. – A goal by Pierre Omanga (Paris, France) late in the first half proved to be the difference as top-seeded Southern New Hampshire University edged No. 4 Adelphi University in a Northeast-10 Men's Soccer Championship semifinal Friday night at Larkin Field. The Penmen, ranked No. 10 nationally, extended their best-in-the-nation win streak to 17 and are now 17-1, while the Panthers likely see their season come to a close at 11-7.
Southern New Hampshire will host second-seeded Merrimack College Sunday at 1:00 in the Northeast-10 championship game, the second straight year the Penmen and Warriors will meet in the title tilt. Merrimack tied sixth-seeded Franklin Pierce University 0-0, but prevailed 4-2 in penalty kicks. Last season SNHU prevailed 2-1, while in the two teams' meeting earlier this season, Southern New Hampshire posted a 1-0 win at Larkin Field.
Omanga, who earlier Friday was named the Northeast-10 Player of the Year, recorded his 18th goal of the season and extended his goal scoring streak to seven games. Junior Kenny Doublette (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) played a long right-to-left cross into the box for Omanga. With Adelphi keeper Ahmad Salamah overplaying Omanga, Omanga deflected the ball off the side of his foot and caught Salamah going the wrong way as the ball found the back of the net.
Southern New Hampshire outshot Adelphi 25-4, but the Panthers applied plenty of pressure in the second half, however, the Penmen defense was able to limit their scoring chances en route to their fourth straight shutout.
Senior keeper Dom DiMaggio (Rome, N.Y.) made one save en route to his fifth shutout of the season, while Salamah recorded seven saves. Southern New Hampshire also had all six of the game's corner kicks.
Southern New Hampshire is seeking its second straight Northeast-10 tournament title and the fifth in program history.
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