Newport, RI --- WPI battled back from a second-half deficit to earn a 1-1 draw at Salve Regina on Saturday night, securing the sixth and final NEWMAC Men's Soccer Tournament seed in the final match of the regular season. Senior
Nikolas Previte (Andover, MA) scored the late equalizer for the Engineers, who punched their postseason ticket with the result.
WPI finishes the regular season with a 2-8-6 overall record and a 2-3-3 mark in NEWMAC play. The Crimson and Gray, which entered the day still harboring hopes of hosting a quarterfinal match on Tuesday, ultimately needed the late equalizer to eliminate host Salve Regina, which would have qualified for the tournament with a victory. The Engineers tied Emerson for fifth place in the nine-team league, but the Lions claimed the tiebreaker with a 1-0 victory over WPI on Wednesday. The sixth-seeded Boynton Hillers will travel to third-seeded MIT for a 7pm kickoff on Tuesday.
Salve Regina closes its campaign at 4-7-6 overall and 1-4-3 in conference action. It marks the second consecutive season in which the Seahawks were denied a NEWMAC Tournament berth by the Engineers on the final day of the regular season.
The Engineers created several opportunities in the opening half.
Jason Hrkach (Lexington, MA) tested the Salve Regina defense early, while Previte put a pair of shots on target, including one that was saved in the closing minutes of the half. Goalkeeper
Savio Ketnouvong (Worcester, MA) also came up with a key stop to keep the contest scoreless heading into the break.
WPI continued to press after halftime, with
Anir AitDowd (Harvard, MA) generating multiple chances, including a shot that struck the crossbar. Salve Regina threatened as well, with
Kevin Rivas (West Hartford, CT) hitting the post before eventually giving the Seahawks the lead on a penalty kick at 74:42.
The Engineers responded in the 81st minute. Previte found the back of the net at 80:10, finishing a pass from Hrkach to level the match at 1-1 and secure the draw that clinched WPI's place in the NEWMAC Tournament.
Ketnouvong finished with five saves for WPI, while Salve Regina goalkeeper
Adonis Santiago (Oakdale, CT) recorded seven stops.
WPI held a 19-16 advantage in shots and an 8-6 edge in shots on goal. Both teams recorded two corner kicks. Previte's equalizer was his team-best fifth goal of the season.
