Box Score PROVIDENCE, R.I.– A goal in the 94th minute broke a scoreless duel and lifted Providence past Villanova 1-0 on a wet, windy afternoon at Chapey Field here. The loss dropped the Wildcats' record to 6-8-2 overall, 1-6-1 BIG EAST.
A cross from Christopher Roman found Matt DePerro at 93:51. DePerro's finish lifted the third place Friars (8-6-2 overall, 5-2-1 BIG EAST) to the win.
"I thought our guys really battled in difficult conditions," stated Villanova head coach Tom Carlin. "We couldn't find the goal we needed obviously. It feels like we've been snake-bitten in that department lately."
Indeed, the Noreaster that swept up the eastern seaboard on Friday evening and Saturday impacted every part of this match. Heavy rain fell and winds gusted to 40 miles per hour. That made generating offense a challenge for both sides.
The Wildcats enjoyed a 6-2 advantage in shots in the first 45 minutes. Senior midfielder Zach Zandi and junior Evan Vare were at the forefront of the attack. Each finished the day with three shots apiece.
Providence turned the tables in the second half, generating 11 shots over the 45 minutes of the second period. But the Wildcats' defense – led by Luca Mellor, Shane Bradley and Enda O'Neill – helped keep the game scoreless after 90 minutes.
The Wildcats headed to overtime hoping to reverse to find the winner that has been elusive in what has been a rough month that included a 1-0 loss to Butler last week at 89:50 and a double overtime 2-1 loss at Georgetown back on Oct. 13.
However, it was Providence that made the play that decided matters.
"It was just a simple defensive mistake," stated Carlin. "But it's something we've talked about before. When you don't score goals, you leave yourself vulnerable."
The Wildcats will close out the regular season on Wednesday afternoon, when they host Seton Hall at the Higgins Soccer Complex. Prior to the match, Villanova will honor a trio of seniors, including graduate transfer Enda O'Neil, Zach Zandi and Kian Zapata for their contributions to the men's soccer program over the course of their careers. Kickoff is set for 3:05 p.m. and the game will be available on a live stream on the BIG EAST Digital Network, found on the Fox Sports Go app.
