SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine— Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) men's soccer emerged victorious, 2-1, in a closely contested match against the non-conference Knights from the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) on Saturday, Sept. 9.

The game started with SMCC taking control and creating opportunities early. In the 33rd minute, first-year Josiah Irish (Gorham, Maine) opened the scoring with an assist from rookie Costa Tshiyombo Tshibasu, giving the home team a 1-0 lead. Just a few minutes later, junior Nicholas Shaw (Newport, Maine) doubled the lead for the Seawolves, unassisted, in the 37th minute.

CCRI fought back in the second half and managed to pull one goal back. Ryan Paiva scored an unassisted goal in the 55th minute, cutting the Knight deficit in half. The late game back-and-forth finished in favor of SMCC.

Both teams had several goal-scoring opportunities. CCRI totaled seven shots, four on target; the Seawolves had a higher shot count with 13, five of which were on target, showcasing its attacking prowess.

Defensively, CCRI's goalkeeper, Lucas Petrarca, made three saves, while SMCC's goalkeeper, Ian Allen (Avon, Maine) matched. 

The Seawolves jump to 2-1 on the year, and begin Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) scheduling when they welcome the University of Maine at Augusta on Thursday, Sept. 14. Kickoff at Wainwright Sports Complex is set for 4:00 p.m.

For the latest on SMCC's athletic programs, log onto GoSMCCSeawolves.com or follow Southern Maine Community College Athletics on Twitter @SMCCseawolves and on Facebook SMCC Seawolves.