By Leighah Beausoleil
The Framingham State Men’s Soccer team won its first game of the season 2-1 against Westfield State College in double overtime during Homecoming Sept. 18.
Tensions were high between the Rams and Owls Saturday evening, with the first half full of quite physical play.
The 4rst goal of the game was not scored until the 37th minute by Westfield player Jack Johnson – pulling the Owls ahead.
However, approximately 30 seconds later the score was tied when sophomore Breyner Depina secured a goal off a pass from junior Jeffson Malachie.
The second half went on with the score remaining tied due in part by six impressive saves by junior goalkeeper Jake Hartshorn.
This half also saw the continuation of the physical play witnessed in the first, with an accumulated 33 fouls and five bookings between the two teams by the game’s end.
Concluding the second half, the game went into 10 minutes of overtime in which neither team managed to score.
Five minutes into double overtime, a foul by Westfield resulted in a free kick outside of the goalie box for junior Kunphel Sinha that led to a successful score – ending the game and earning the Rams’ first win of the season.
“The game was very competitive,” Sinha said. “They [Westfield] get really harsh.”
He added, “We were down a man, so we, as a team, put everything on the line and came out with a positive result.”
Sinha said the team as a whole is getting into the “groove” of the season.
“Although it was not a good goal, God said, ‘OK, I’ll let this one in,’” Sinha added.
Head Coach Dean Nichols said he felt “fantastic” at the end result of the game.
He said, “The guys battled as hard as they possibly could and everybody did their part to get a 2-1 victory in overtime.
“Going 1-0 in the [MASCAC] conference definitely feels great for the guys,” Nichols added.