DANBURY, Conn. - Junior GK Zachary Benson (Derby, Conn.) made five saves in 110 minutes of scoreless play and turned away three of four penalty kicks after the second overtime, as the Western Connecticut State University Wolves won their second Little East Conference (LEC) Men's Soccer Championship title in a row on penalty kicks (3-1) over the visiting Rhode Island College Anchormen at Westside Stadium this evening.  Top-seeded WestConn wins the LEC crown for the sixth time and will represent the conference in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament next weekend.  The Wolves record stands at 15-4-3 and Rhode Island College ends its season at 11-6-3, as the teams played to a 0-0 tie after 90 minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime.



WestConn outshot Rhode Island College, 36-11, but came up empty thanks to 16 saves by Anchormen goalkeeper Wesley Perotto including 11 after halftime.  Rhode Island College played 24-plus minutes in the second half down a player due to a red card and both teams were at ten men after a Wolves' record in the final minute of regulation.  The teams lined up for a best-of-five shootout and junior Kamal Sabar (Brooklyn, N.Y.) put the Wolves ahead, 1-0, with a low shot on the first try.  Benson made a save against Rhode Island College's Tariq Adio and senior midfielder Kadin Talho (Waterbury, Conn.) drilled his attempt to make it, 2-0, in the Wolves' favor.  Alijah Nunes converted for the Anchormen and after consecutive stops by Perotto and Benson, senior forward Maximus Vigo (Canton, Mich.) made it, 3-1, with a successful attempt.  Benson saved the fourth Rhode Island College try and the Wolves stormed the pitch as league champions.

The offenses were quiet in the first half, as Benson needed to make just one save and Perotto denied all four Wolves' shots-on-goal in the first 45 minutes.  Benson made a clutch stop against Rhode Island College's Anthony Recinos in the opening moments of the second frame, while Perotto stopped consecutive rockets by Talho from the top of the box in the 55th minute.  Vigo and WestConn freshman Nicola Acocella (Harrison, N.Y.) had successive shots turned away by Perotto in the 87th minute and Talho took a pair of hard blasts from straight-on in the first overtime that were deflected by the Anchorman defense.  Benson made a stellar stop against Rhode Island College's Sekou Kamara in the 98th minute and each goalie made a save against exhausted offenses in the second extra session. Benson was justly rewarded as the LEC Championship Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.