CARLISLE, PA --Alex Sanchez-Sierra (Sr., Tangier, Morocco/American School of Tangier) scored twice and added an assist as the Franklin & Marshall men's soccer team shutout Dickinson 4-0 in Centennial Conference action.
The win locks a playoff berth for the Diplomats and places the team in fourth place with one game remaining as F&M would host Muhlenberg in the Centennial Conference "first round" game on November 3 at Baker Campus if Swarthmore (5-2-1) defeats Haverford (2-6), McDaniel (5-1-2) downs Washington (1-8), Gettysburg (4-3-1) upends Dickinson (3-5) and Muhlenberg (4-3-1) handles Ursinus (0-8). However, if F&M defeats Johns Hopkins and Swarthmore losses to Haverford, F&M will clinch the #3 seed and not play until the semifinals on November 5 at #1 seed Johns Hopkins.
Against Dickinson, the Diplomats torched the Red Devils for four second half goals scoring on four of six second half shots after a scoreless first half.
Sanchez-Sierra opened the scoring at 59:42 as he beat Dickinson goalie Aaron Stemplewicz for a 1-0 lead. Less than 15 minutes later, he tacked on his second goal of the game as he fired a penalty kick past Stemplewicz for a 2-0 lead.
Ryan McGonigle (Fr., Chadds Ford, PA/Unionville) pushed the lead to 3-0 as he finished a pass from Sanchez-Sierra at 79:42 before Mike Boyd (So., Naples, FL/Barron Collier) closed the scoring with an unassisted goal at 89:01.
In goal, Ed Stelz (So., Kew Gardens, NY/Loomis Chaffee) recorded one save to pick up his fifth solo shutout of the season. Statistically, the Diplomats have been stingy on defense as F&M has shutout six opponents (Scranton, Wesley, Lebanon Valley, Hood, Washington and Dickinson) this season while allowing .765 goals per game (12 goals in 1412:28 minutes).
The Diplomats have shutout their last three opponents (Hood 4-0 W, Washington 1-0 W, Dickinson) as F&M is in the midst of a 299:36 streak in which the team has not allowed a score dating back to an Ursinus goal in a 2-1 F&M win on October 16.
The win raises F&M's record to 10-3-2 as the Diplomats have recorded the seventh double-digit win season in the 75 year history of the program following 10+ marks in 1962 (10-1-0), 1978 (11-5-3), 1981 (11-4-1), 1986 (11-8-1), 1992 (10-9-0) and 2001 (12-5-0). In addition, the win raises F&M's record to 32-16-5 all-time against the Red Devils as Franklin & Marshall College has won the last five meetings between the two institutions in men's soccer.
Franklin & Marshall (10-3-2, 5-2-1) will return to action on October 30 at home in the regular season finale versus #2 nationally ranked Johns Hopkins University. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.
Franklin & Marshall (9-3-2, 4-2-1 CC) 0-4 -- 4
Dickinson (7-9-1, 3-5) 0-0 -- 0
Goals: F&M - Alex Sanchez-Sierra (unassisted) 59:42
F&M - Alex Sanchez-Sierra (penalty kick) 74:01
F&M - Ryan McGonigle (Alex Sanchez-Sierra) 79:42
F&M - Mike Boyd (unassisted) 89:01
Saves: F&M - Ed Stelz, 1 (90 minutes)
DC - Aaron Stemplewicz, 5 (90 minutes)
Shots: F&M 12, DC 5
Corners: F&M 3, DC 3
Fouls: F&M 11, DC 11
Offside: F&M 5, DC 2
