NEW LONDON, N.H. – November 1, 2017 - The second seed Colby-Sawyer College men's soccer team came back from a pair of deficits to defeat six seed Maine Maritime Academy, 4-3, in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) semifinals, on a blustery Wednesday afternoon at Kelsey Field.

The Chargers improve to 11-6 and advance to the NAC Championship for the second time since joining the league in 2011. Colby-Sawyer will play the winner of top seed Castleton and fourth seed New England College. Maine Maritime ends its season at 5-10-3.

Colby-Sawyer notched the game-winning goal in the 79th minute off the foot of senior Mohamed Jafar (Burlington, Vt.). Freshman Andrew Broening (Budd Lake, N.J.) dribbled down the left flank and sent a ball towards the box. Fellow freshman Ryan Player (Fort Fairfield, Maine) was there to receive the pass and one-touched the ball to Jafar who found the back of the net with his first game-winner of the season.

The home team opened the match with an early goal from junior Yannick Gonsalves (Oak Bluffs, Mass.) at 6:11. Senior Jake Sykes (Laconia, N.H.) took a free kick from the left side, which was headed in by Gonsalves to give Colby-Sawyer a 1-0 lead.

Less than a minute later, Maine Maritime knotted the game when sophomore Matthew Caron (Scarborough, Maine) found the ball on a broken play and beat the goalie one-on-one.

In the 15th minute, Caron was at it again and put the Mariners in front 2-1. After an initial shot by sophomore Evan Backus (Farmington, Maine) was saved, Caron put back the rebound with his ninth goal of the season.

The Mariners took a 2-1 lead into the half and held a 7-4 edge in shots.

Colby-Sawyer found an equalizer in the 59th minute off the foot of Ryan Player. Sykes sent a cross towards the box that was volleyed inside the near post past the diving Maine Maritime keeper.

The Chargers fell behind for the second time in the game in the 61st minute when Caron netted his third goal of the game, giving him the hat-trick and 10th tally of the season.

Junior Noah Camelo (Marblehead, Mass.) brought Colby-Sawyer even at 3-3 two minutes later when he headed in a corner kick from Sykes in the 63rd minute.

Sykes finished the match with three assists to give him 15 for his career, which ties him for seventh all-time with 2017 Colby-Sawyer Hall of Fame inductee Matt Solazzo '04.

Colby-Sawyer goalie Shane Sacks (Huntington Station, N.Y.) improved to 9-2 with five saves in the victory. Maine Maritime junior keeper Joshua Reeks (Bedford, N.H.) stopped seven shots, including multiple sprawling efforts.

The Chargers held a slim 17-15 advantage in shots, but a 12-4 margin in corner kicks. Colby-Sawyer is the Division III national leader in corner kicks per game (9.05).

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