Men’s soccer triumphs over Anna Maria

By Avery Slavin Staff Writer The Framingham State Rams earned a victory against the Anna Maria Amcats in a matchup on Oct. 11, bringing their record to 5-7-1 and their conference record to 2-3. The Rams started the game strong with freshman Colin Holt blocking a shot from Anna Maria. Two-and-a-half minutes later, Captain Kaio Santos Da Silva, a junior, earned Framingham their first point of the game. After a few more minutes of fighting for possession of the ball, Colin Holt saved a header shot from Kyle Brocker. Santos Da Silva sent the ball toward junior Jack Holt, who earned the second point for the Rams. Santos Da Silva rode this wave of momentum to make yet another shot, but couldn’t manage to get around Anna Maria’s goalie, Romain Baert. The first half ended with a wide shot from the Amcats right as the clock hit zero. The second half began with another shot from Anna Maria, but it flew above the net. After one more failed shot attempt from the Amcats, Hugo Drougard assisted Nils Cofalka and earned the Amcats their first point. Cofalka tried to tie up the match with a header shot, but it was saved by Colin Holt. Captain Thiago Magalhaes, a sophomore, then tried to hit the back of the net for the Rams, but was unsuccessful. Colin Holt stood strong in front of the net, blocking another shot from Anna Maria. Santos Da Silva did not rest and unleashed another shot toward the goal, but it was saved by Baert. The Rams didn’t let up, and freshman Shawn Amposah went for the shot next. It was successful, earning him his very first collegiate goal! With the Rams in the lead, the Amcats retaliated and earned their second point of the game, courtesy of Clayton Foster with another assist from Drougard. The second half ended with a final score of 3-2. Jack Holt said, “Anna Maria was a very important game for our record and for us mentally. After a long stretch of unfavorable results, it was a vital time for us to get back in the win column and motivate us to push hard in the final games of the season.” The Rams fought hard and were motivated throughout the game. Santos Da Silva said, “Our team, at times, struggles in the conference, but from the beginning of the week to the start of the game against Anna Maria, our motivation was really high, and we believed in the end goal. … Now, we have to focus on keeping that energy for the next game and the rest of the season. “[We] just have to trust each other and know that our chances will come,” he added. Amposah said he was thrilled to contribute to the team’s win. He said, “[I] want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for everything. I was extremely happy that I got my first goal to help the team. It was a must-win game for us, and I got to contribute to helping us win the game.” This is Amposah’s first season with the Rams. He said, “When I first came, [the upperclassmen] were welcoming, helping us settle into the team. From personal experience, it’s been OK. They are uplifting and all-around good teammates and people in general.” Jack Holt said, “We have a lot of personality in the squad. The dynamic with the team is positive and is the primary factor in us achieving good chemistry with each other on the field and progressively improving and growing as a team.” Santos Da Silva said, “The team dynamic and chemistry have been getting better and have 100 percent helped with our growth this year.” The Rams host Westfield State during Homecoming Weekend on Oct. 18.