WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Returning to the postseason for the first time in three seasons and the first time under second-year head coach Tommy Matera, the New Haven men's soccer used home field advantage as the No. 2 seed to score a 3-1 win over the seventh seeded Saint Michael's Purple Knights. With the win, New Haven advances to the semifinal round where they will host third seeded Franklin Pierce on Wednesday with a game time to be determined.

After more than 40 minutes of scoreless action, New Haven broke the stalemate in the 43rd minute on the first goal of the season from rookie Darsein Gabriel (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich). The freshman from Greenwich, Conn. took advantage of a loose ball about four yards off the line. The play began with a chip pass over the defense that the keeper attempted to secure but was unable and Gabriel completed the play with a right foot to the back of the net.

Coming out of the intermission, the Purple Knights managed to knot the score at one before New Haven regained its lead late in the 66th minute when Sandro Branquinho's (Covilha, Portugal/Wright State) fourth goal of the year came as the eventual game-winner. A little back-and-forth action at the top of the 18-yard box between Adam Lindstrom (Orbero, Sweden/Grillska Gymnasiet) and Albert Portas (Barcelona, Spain/IES Sant Sust) led the Branquinho goal as Lindstrom crossed over to Portas who sent the forward pass to the middle of the box for Branquinho to finish.

Pau Santanach (Barcelona, Spain/Collegi CreaNova) added the ever important insurance goal just over seven minutes late thanks to the assist from Luke Fiscella (New Fairfield, Conn./New Fairfield). The rookie midfielder Fiscella dribbled into the box from the far sideline and sent a pass back to the middle of the box where Santanach drilled a one-timer to the upper left corner for his eighth goal of the season.

Overall for the game, New Haven dominated the shot battle with a 22-6 advantage, placing more than half of those on goal. The dozen shots on goal for the Chargers forced the Purple Knights keeper to make nine saves while his counterpart for the Blue and Gold Archie Watts (Bristol, England/SGS College) finished with four saves, three in the opening half and one more in the second 45 minutes of action. The Chargers also led the corner kick battle with a 5-3 advantage.