SALEM, MASS. –  Keeper Chris Jimenez (Nashua, N.H.) made two key saves during penalty kicks to help Salem State claim the 2017 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Men's Soccer Championship over Westfield State on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Field. The No. 1 seed Vikings and No. 6 seed Owls battled to a 2-2 tie through double overtime, and it was Jimenez's diving stop of a shot by Kyle Mutti (Feeding Hills, Mass.) on Westfield's State's fifth attempt that ended the drama and sealed the title. Salem State claims their 18th MASCAC championship and will make their 13th appearance in the upcoming NCAA Tournament later this week, with seeding and pairings still to be determined.  

Salem State's offense took control early in the contest and less than seven minutes into the game, Mayele Malango (Lowell, Mass.) nearly gave the Vikings an early lead as he outfought two defenders in the box, but his shot was corralled by Westfield State goalie Alex Kraver (West Springfield, Mass.). That save sparked the Owls, who less than a minute later, worked the ball past midfield, where Mutti broke behind the Vikings' defense and off a feed from Brodie Keene (Feeding Hills, Mass.), fired a shot past keeper Jimenez for a 1-0 Owls' lead.   

Westfield State's relentless defense made the lead hold up until halftime as they stymied the Vikings on offense, often outnumbering the Salem State attack. The Vikings' just missed tying the game with 10 minutes remaining in the half as Malango found himself in a rare one-on-one opportunity against the Owls' keeper. However, Kraver made an outstanding save as the senior swallowed up Malango's bid to tie the game.

Needing to match Westfield State's energy from the beginning of the half, the Vikings finally broke through at the 51:05 mark as Grace Dos Santos (Brockton, Mass.) ripped a shot that curled just inside the post tying the game at 1-1. Later, Dos Santos put Salem State ahead as he headed in a pass from Dominique Panmo (Lynn, Mass.) into the upper right hand corner in the 62nd minute.

Westfield State would not quit as they went step-for-step with the Vikings in looking for the upset win. The Owl's Kiernan Moriarity (West Springfield, Mass.) tied the game for a second time just over four minutes later as his free kick tucked just inside the far right corner of the crossbar, making the score 2-2. It was the first time this season that a MASCAC opponent scored more than a single goal against the Vikings.
  
Both teams expended their energies trying to end the game in regulation, and Legend Mu'min (Springfield, Mass.) nearly succeeded for the Owls in the final seconds as he was able to get just enough on a shot from three yards out as he was falling away. However, with the ball about to trickle across the goal line, Jimenez lunged and made a desperate save to keep the game tied.  

Neither team could find the back of the net in two overtime periods, combining for just three shots over the final twenty minutes, which set the stage for penalty kicks to determine this year's championship game-winner.  

Westfield State missed their opening attempt after Malango opened with a score. Each team converted twice and both goalies came up with huge stops, each making a crucial save, before a miss by the Vikings set up the dramatic ending with Jimenez denying Mutti on the Owls final bid.

Salem State (12-5-1) wins the championship in head coach Matt Correia's first season as Jimenez was named tournament MVP after recording two wins, including a shutout for Salem State in the playoffs. Westfield Sate ends their year at 9-9-1.

Release courtesy of Salem State Sports Information