DANBURY, Conn. – Nickolas Santana scored a first-half hat trick, and top-seeded WestConn held off a second-half comeback by fourth-seeded Southern Maine to win 4-3 in the semifinals of the Little East Conference (LEC) Men’s Soccer Championship on Wednesday at the Westside Athletic Complex. Lucas Fernandez scored the eventual game-winner as the Wolves built a 4-0 halftime lead before the Huskies scored three unanswered goals.

The Records
WestConn (13-3-5)
Southern Maine (6-6-7)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Santana put WestConn ahead just 1:33 into the match off an assist from Chance Campbell. Southern Maine nearly equalized when Cole Johnson hit the crossbar at 11:15, but Santana doubled the Wolves’ lead at 22:40 on another assist from Campbell.

Matthews Rocha set up Santana’s third goal at 29:34, completing the hat trick in the opening 30 minutes. Fernandez made it 4-0 at 38:12, finishing a cross from Jokin Martinez to give WestConn a four-goal lead at halftime.

Jonah Naratil put Southern Maine on the board at 53:53. Liam Conneely cut the deficit to two at 67:59 off an assist from Alex Graver, and Johnson scored at 76:29 to bring the Huskies within one with more than 13 minutes to play.

Southern Maine had one last chance to equalize in the final minute, but Connor Leclerc’s shot went over the crossbar as WestConn held on for the 4-3 win.

Inside The Statistics

• Santana scored on all three of his shots, and Campbell assisted on two of his goals.
• Naratil, Conneely and Johnson each scored for Southern Maine. Graver recorded the Huskies’ lone assist.
• Gabe Wagner made seven saves for Southern Maine, and Owen Burns added one in relief. Aime Ruggles made one save in the first half for WestConn, and Makai Smith made two after halftime.
• WestConn put 12 shots on goal to Southern Maine’s six. Both teams earned three corner kicks.

Up Next

WestConn will host second-seeded UMass Boston in the LEC championship match on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. at the Westside Athletic Complex.