Cange Scores, Gregor Saves, Cougars Win Seventh Straight

LINCOLN, RI (October 16) – Jemmy Cange (Norwich) scored off an Austin Fetzer (Hebron) free kick with 15:40 left in the first half as Manchester Community College beat CC of Rhode Island 1-0 on the road Thursday afternoon.

Cange, who was a NJCAA Region XXI Division III First Team All-Star in 2006, one-timed Fetzer’s kick from 40 feet out and redirected it into the net with his foot for his team high 17th goal of the season.

After Cange’s strike, the Cougar defense, led by Fetzer and goalkeeper Jeff Gregor, took charge of the physical game and kept their formidable NJCAA Division I opponent off the board.

“They are a quality team,” ninth year MCC Head Coach Jim Insinga said of CCRI. “What a tough game it was – it was twice as physical as the last time we played them.” MCC beat CCRI at home 2-0 exactly one month ago on September 16 and have reeled off seven straight wins. The Cougars, who were ranked #9 in the latest (October 16) NJCAA Division III Poll, have won 12 of their last 13 and are 12-2 on the season. CCRI drops to 3-5-2.

Gregor, who came into the game with a 0.535 Goals Against Average, made eight saves while picking up his second complete game, 1-0 shutout in five days. Gregor shut out Bunker Hill CC by the same 1-0 score Friday. Gregor also took part in Saturday’s 7-0 shutout victory over Benjamin Franklin I.T. The sophomore has been brilliant over 11 games and came up with a huge save in the final minutes of Thursday’s game to preserve the win.

“Gregor made a game saving stop with two minutes left,” Insinga said from a jubilant bus on the way home. “It was a blistering shot from 20-feet out that he got horizontal for. He just got a finger on it and deflected it away.”

Insinga will give his battered troops Friday off in preparation for a pair of weekend games at home. The Cougars host Bristol CC Saturday at 11 AM and Dean College Sunday at 2PM. A week from Saturday, MCC will host the NJCAA Region XXI Division III Tournament at McCormick Complex on the MCC campus.

“This was a big win,” Insinga said. “And a positive step for us.”

at Lincoln, RI

Manchester CC 1 CCRI 0

MCC (12-2) 1 0 0
CCRI (3-5-2) 0 0 0
Goals: MCC – Jemmy Cange. Saves MCC – Jeff Gregor 8; CCRI – Jason Oliveira 4.