Wentworth Holds on to Defeat MIT, 1-0

(Release Courtesy of Babson Sports Information)

BABSON PARK, Mass. – Senior forward John Golden (Whitman, Mass.) scored the game's only goal on a first-half penalty kick to lift the Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards to a 1-0 victory over the MIT Engineers on day two of the 2010 Babson Fall Classic at Hartwell-Rogers Field on Sunday.

With the win, Wentworth evened its record at 1-1-0, while MIT fell to 1-2-0 on the season.

The Leopards netted the decisive goal at 16:21, as an MIT foul in the box gave Wentworth a penalty kick. Golden placed the ensuing shot to the left of diving keeper Dylan Rankin (Providence, R.I.), giving the Leopards a 1-0 lead.

MIT had two prime chances to tie the contest in the second half, but Wentworth managed to stifle both bids. The first came when senior Christian Therkelsen (Nesbru, Norway) fired a shot past charging senior keeper Brian Pearsall (Sanford, Maine) in the 76th minute, but a Leopard defender blocked the attempt and cleared it off the goal line. The Engineers then threatened again in the 86th minute, when first-year Matt Monheit (Abington, Pa.) chipped a ball to Therkelsen at the left post. However, Pearsall saved the senior's one-time bid from point-blank range to preserve the shutout win.

Pearsall finished with six saves in net for Wentworth, while Rankin made three stops in just over 85 minutes of action for MIT.

The Leopards continue non-conference play Wednesday evening when they travel to Worcester, Mass., for a 7:00 p.m. contest against WPI.