Boston, MA --- Nikolas Previte (Andover, MA) headed home a cross from Tora Ito (Hopkinton, MA) just 2:37 into the first golden goal overtime period to propel fifth-seeded WPI to a dramatic 1-0 victory over fourth-seeded and host Emerson in a NEWMAC Men's Soccer Tournament quarterfinal early Tuesday afternoon on Rotch Field.
 
The Engineers, who had dropped a 4-2 decision less than a week ago to the Lions in Worcester and then needed a late tally in their regular season finale Saturday to defeat Salve Regina 1-0 to even qualify for the six-team conference tournament, now advances to Thursday's semifinal round and will travel to top-seeded and undefeated Wheaton at 2pm.  
 
With the victory, WPI improves to 7-6-5 on the season and reaches the NEWMAC Tournament semifinals for the

Emerson sees its season draw to a close at 6-8-5 overall, earning a spot in the conference tournament in consecutive seasons for the first time since joining the NEWMAC in 2013.
 
After 90 minutes of regulation that featured a combined 26 shots and 26 fouls, Previte and Ito accounted for the only statistical play of the extra time.  The game-winning sequence began when Fabio Bastida-Andreu (Logroño, Spain) carried the ball across midfield for the Crimson and Gray and laid it off to Mike Montabana (Jamison, PA) in the middle of the field.  The sophomore found Ito on the left flank and the captain sent a cross toward the far post that connected with Previte for a header that went into the lower right corner of the goal.  The goal was the sophomore's third of the season and second game-winner.
 
The final 10 minutes of regulation saw both teams on the precipice of finding the back of the net.  The Engineers nearly dented the scoring in the 80th minute.  The buildup began with a long throw in into the box where Ito sent a ball past the Emerson only to be cleared off the line by Cade Mallett (Gilroy, CA) but collected by Jason Hrkach (Lexington, MA), who knocked the ball toward the right post where it was cleared off line again by the Lions - this time by Diego Garcia-Ocampo (Ventura, CA) - to keep the Crimson and Gray off the board. 

Five minutes later Garcia-Ocampo found himself in an attacking position and drew a foul just outside the box on the right side.  John Liley (Scottsdale, AZ) took the ensuing free kick and sent a ball towards the middle and it was passed along to the far post to an Emerson player, that knocked the ball into the goal but was ruled offside and the goal was called back.  The two teams would combine to muster just one shot the rest of the way before overtime.
 
While WPI may have had a slight advantages in first half shots (8-6) and corners (2-0), both teams had a pair of outstanding scoring chances in the opening 45 minutes.  In the 19th minute, Emerson's Jack Wasserman (Atlanta, GA) received a free kick near the six-yard box but his header was absorbed at point blank range by Engineer netminder Savio Ketnouvong (Paxton, MA).  Four minutes later, the Boynton Hillers nearly went ahead but Montabana had a shot blocked and Adin Pezo's (Everett, MA) rebound was steered off the line by Mallett.

The last four minutes of the half was frantic as first the visitors nearly broke through on a Bastida-Andreus' shot from the right edge of the box that sailed just wide of the right corner of the net.  Then, in the final 30 seconds, Emerson's Joe Picone (New Hope, PA) had his shot repelled by Ketnouvong and following a scramble, John Liley (Scottsdale, AZ) saw his shot blocked by a WPI defender.

WPI enjoyed a 15-12 edge in shots and were awarded four of the contest's five corners.  Both Ketnouvong and Emerson netminder Asa Roberts (Guilford, CT) were credited with three saves.