Box Score | RPI Athletics on Instagram

TROY, N.Y. - Senior Vito Mesiti scored in the 22nd minute and freshman goalkeeper Matt LaBranche made it stand up as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's soccer team defeated St. Lawrence University, 1-0, in a Liberty League contest at East Campus Stadium. The Engineers move into post-season contention with the win, their second straight, as they are now 3-2-1 in the conference. RPI is 5-6-3 overall. The Saints fall to 3-3-0 and 10-3-0.

Mesiti (Slingerlands, NY / Guilderland) scored off a volley from 25 yards out for his first goal of the season. Junior Andrew Zendan (Charlotte, NC / Providence) took a throw-in at 15 yards and sent the ball to senior Devon Baughen (Sarasota, FL / Pine View), who headed the ball back to Mesiti, setting him up for a hard shot that found the back of the net. 

St. Lawrence threatened to tie the score with just under five minutes left in the first half when sophomore Brendan McNamee (Newton, NJ / Kittatinny Regional) beat his defender down the right side and crossed the ball away from LaBranche and through the goal mouth, but no teammate could reach the loose ball.

RPI freshman Austin Betterly (Plymouth Meeting, PA / Plymouth Whitemarsh) had a chance to extend the lead when he forced a turnover by the defender and broke in alone on St. Lawrence goalkeeper Mike Smith (Syracuse, NY / Christian Brothers Academy) from 15 yards out, but his shot was saved by the sophomore. 

The Saints had two good opportunities early in the second half, both by McNamee. His first was a one-on-one with LaBranche, which was stopped and held, while the second was a low shot that forced LaBranche to dive to his left and knock out of bounds. 

Nick Revano (Metuchen, NJ / Hun School of Princeton) had two good chances for RPI later in the half, including a diving header off a feed from Baughen, but he was held off the scoresheet.

St. Lawrence continued to pressure but LaBranche stopped Noah Bunton (San Diego, CA / Point Loma) on a long drive, pushing the ball out of bounds with under 15 minutes to play in the second half.

LaBranche finished with six second half saves and seven in total, while King stopped six shots, four in the second half.

RPI outshot the Saints, 13-11, but SLU had the edge in corner kicks, 8-3. 

The Engineers are home on Wednesday night at 7:30pm against league foe Skidmore College. St. Lawrence plays at RIT on Saturday at 3pm.