O’Grady, Lawler Net Two Goals Each to Spark 6-0 Win Over Becker College

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College junior forward Adam O'Grady (Somers, Conn.) scored two goals and added an assist, and freshman midfielder Gerard Lawler (Langwarrin, Victoria, Australia) scored twice and assisted on two goals to help pace the Blazers to a 6-0 win over Becker College in Wednesday afternoon's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) men's soccer game at Leary Field.

With the win, Elms improves to 7-7-2 overall, 3-2-1 in NECC action, while Becker concludes its season 3-15 overall, 1-6 in NECC play.

Elms scored five times in the opening period including three goals in the first 10 minutes. Lawler opened the scoring with a penalty kick conversion just 1:39 into the contest before he set up the game's second goal just 1:11 later. Lawler delivered a through ball to Adam O'Grady who fed the ball to sophomore forward Joseph Coleman (Easthampton, Mass.) and he finished with a goal to give the Blazers an early 2-0 lead.

Adam O'Grady was the beneficiary of two well played passes from sophomore defender Conor Rieker (Agawam, Mass.) and Coleman and was able to tap the ball into the net to extend the lead to 3-0 at the 8:30 mark.

Four minutes later, Elms' sophomore defender Anthony Nitri (Feeding Hills, Mass.) delivered a long pass to Adam O'Grady and he capitalized with his team-leading 11^th goal of the season to lift the advantage to 4-0.

The Blazers capped the first half scoring in the 25^th minute of action when freshman defender Joe Pellegrini (Somers, Conn.) found the back of the net for his first collegiate goal on a feed from Lawler to set the score at 5-0 at intermission.

Lawler ended the scoring in the 78^th minute of play when he connected for a diving header that found the back of the net off a corner kick by sophomore forward Joelle Reyes (San Salvador, El Salvador) to complete Elms' 6-0 victory.

Becker had a pair of opportunities in the opening period to net a goal but a shot by Matthew Ballou (Douglas, Mass.) was deflected off the post by Blazers' freshman goalkeeper Nicholson Pennant (Kingston, Jamaica) and Jose Galvez-Lovo's (Nashua, N.H.) sailed wide of target.

Becker added five shots on goal in the second half, but Elms' freshman net-minder John Matrisciano (West Haven, Conn.) turned away all five shots he faced to preserve the shutout.

Becker goalkeeper Tim MacDonald (Holden, Mass.) made 11 saves in the losing effort.

Elms concludes its regular season at Daniel Webster College at 2:00 p.m. in Nashua, N.H.