Restrepo’s Game Winner Lifts Men’s Soccer to 3-2 Win Over Fitchburg

EAST BOSTON, Mass. – With under three minutes remaining, Christian Restrepo put away his third game-winner of the season to send Suffolk men's soccer past Fitchburg State, 3-2, for the first-ever Rams' win of the Falcons as the blue-and-gold closed home regular season action Tuesday night at East Boston Memorial Park's James A. Sartori Stadium. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3, Fitchburg State 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (9-6-1) | Fitchburg State (4-9-2) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Fitchburg State lit the lamp first, but the Rams made it a fresh game just five minutes later. The score stood at 1-all as the teams headed into the locker room. 

Restrepo gave Suffolk its first lead of the day just about 10 minutes into the second half, but similar to the Rams in the first, the Falcons tied the game in the 63rd minute. 

With time dwindling and overtime looming and the wind picking up, Suffolk stormed down the turf and Restrepo put away the game-winner with 2:25 remaining in regulation to secure the victory for the blue-and-gold. 

GOALS

• Off a corner, Jon Brodeur was pulled to the right as the ball went left. The sophomore keeper made the original save on Prince Boateng's attempt, but Matthew Krikorian was there to pick up the pieces and easily tucked the ball into the lower left corner to make it a 1-0 Framingham Game with just under 20 minutes remaining in the first frame.
• Suffolk got the goal back just five minutes later. Jordan Casey floated a cross to Jason Castro, who was wide open on the right side of the Falcon's goal. The freshman scored easily with a lite touch to level the playing field.
• Matt Campos lofted a perfectly placed ball over the defense to Restrepo across the field. Resptrepo let one fly from 20 yards out and clipped just under the cross bar out of reach of Branton Abbett's gloves to put Suffolk in front 9:13 into the second half.
• Krikorian paced down the sideline and picked up speed as Matan Shmerling set him up with a long ball. On the fast break, Krikorian lifted the ball over Brodeur and it rolled in the net to lock the game again, this time at 2-2 with 17:08 remaining in regulation.
• The game winner came off the cleat of Restrepo in the 87th minute thanks to Jack O'Connor's feed. O'Connor slipped a pass to Restrepo who was right in front of Abbett and put the rock away upper left to push the Rams in front for good. 

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

• Brodeur made nine stops in net to improve to 6-1-0.
• Abbett saved five shots in the setback. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Suffolk held advantages in nearly every statistically category; shots on target, 11-8 and corners, 7-4, while Fitchburg State boasted an edge in total shots, 18-16. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk gained its first-ever win over Fitchburg State in a series, which dates back to 1984.
• Restrepo had his second multi-goal game of the season and was responsible for the game winner on the third occasion.
• Restrepo stretched his point streak to three straight games. The streak features nine points on three goals and three handouts.
• Castro notched his first collegiate goals. 

POST-GAME PIC
 

COMING UP
As the tournament's eighth seed locked up, Suffolk waits to find out the date and time of its GNAC Quarterfinals contest with regular season champion Lasell.