UMass Dartmouth Rallies Past Fitchburg State, 3-2

Bolam and Higgins net scores in Falcons setback

FITCHBURG, Mass (September 12, 2009) - Senior Alex Bettencourt (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford) collected his second goal of the contest with 0:26 remaining to break a 2-2 draw and lift UMass Dartmouth to a 3-2 non-conference victory over Fitchburg State this afternoon. 

Bettencourt led all scorers, posting a game-high four points on two markers, while UMass Dartmouth senior Jarred Goldstein (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) tallied one score and one assist. Sophomore Danny Bolam (Fletcher, Vt./BFA Airfax) and senior Trevor Higgins (Kittery Point, Maine/Traip Academy) led the Fitchburg State, high-pressured attack, totaling one goal apiece, while freshman Jonathan Diaz-Atto (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) added an assist.

UMass Dartmouth opened the scoring early as Bettencourt found the back of the net in the 14th minute of the match, but Fitchburg State responded immediately using a Bolam corner kick to net the equalizer. Bolam showed great shooting precision, connecting for his second goal of the season with a bending kick from the corner.

In the second half, the Corsairs broke a 60 minute scoreless stretch as Goldstein found himself one-on-one with Falcon keeper Matt Carey (Stratford, Conn./Bunnell) in the 82nd minute. Goldstein took a feed from sophomore Ebenezer Vincente (Praia, Cape Verde/Massasoit) and slipped it past Carey to give UMass a 2-1 advantage.

The Falcons answered again, knotting the score at 2-2 with 1:30 to go in the match.  Diaz-Atto sparked the Falcon score with a dish from 20 yards out, while Higgins sent a header flying past Corsair keeper Kellen Rauch (Ashland, Mass./Ashland) for his first goal of the season. Without hesitation, UMass gained possession off the ensuring kick-off and connected for the eventual game-winner as Bettencourt posted his second goal of the contest in the closing seconds.

Fitchburg State matched UMass shot-for-shot throughout the game, posting 11 of its 17 shots on goal. The Falcons defense received solid efforts from sophomore Pat Higgins (Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames) and junior Danny Angelostanto (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) while Carey totaled eight stops in net. Rauch earned the victory for the Corsairs, stopping four shots in one half of work.   

Fitchburg State (1-3, 0-0 MASCAC) will be back in action this Wednesday as it travels to UMass Boston at 3:30 p.m. UMass Dartmouth (3-0, 0-0 LEC) will host Salem State on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

CLICK HERE FOR BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

UMass Dartmouth 3, Fitchburg State 2

Scoring:
First Half: UMD: Alex Bettencourt (Jarred Goldstein), 13:21; FIT: Danny Bolam, 20:43;  
Second Half: UMD: Goldstein (Ebenezer Vicente), 81:47; FIT: Trevor Higgins (Jonathan Diaz-Atto), 88:30; UMD: Bettencourt (Vicente), 89:34;
Goaltending: Matt Carey (90:00), eight saves; UMD: John Doucette (45:00), five saves; Kellen Rauch (45:00), four saves.
Shots: FIT: 17; UMD: 26