BOSTON, Mass. - The Emerson men's soccer team closed out their 2016 campaign with a 3-0 shutout NEWMAC loss thanks to two goals from Babson freshman Yousef Ziad (Holbrook, Mass.) at Rotch Field on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Isle Raftrey (Seattle, Wash.) also tallied a goal for Babson. 

The Lions wrap up their season with an overall record of 5-11 and 1-6 in NEWMAC play, while the Beavers improve to 11-4-3 overall and 6-1 against NEWMAC teams. 

Emerson junior keeper Lucas Fischer (Atlanta, Ga.) was tagged with the loss and made seven saves through 90 minutes in the net. Babson junior goalie James Takami (Kenmore, Wash.) made three saves in the win for the Beavers. 

Senior Austin Alphonse (Durham, N.H.) paced Emerson with three shots, while Ziad guided Babson with two goals and junior Pat O'Rourke (Hingham, Mass.) had six shots.

Babson outshot Emerson 11-2 in the first half, but both teams had numerous opportunities to break the scoreless tie. In the 37th minute, Alphonse broke away down the middle on a two-on-one, but his shot went wide and off to the left. Babson's opportunity was knocked over the crossbar by Fischer to hold the Beavers scoreless for the remainder of the half. 

It was not until the 58th minute that Babson were the one to break the scoreless tie. Senior Adam Villari (Lansdale, Pa.) snuck the ball to Ziad. Ziad slipped the ball past the Emerson backfield. Ziad crossed the ball over to the lower left side past the diving reach of Fischer to put Babson up 1-0. The Beavers gave themselves an insurance goal in the 76th minute after Raftery's shot towards Fischer deflected off his hands and landed behind him. Ziad put the game away in the 87th minute as he beat an Emerson defender coming down the left side and crossed the ball into the lower right corner to up Babson's lead to 3-0. 

Emerson finishes up their 2016 season, while Babson moves on to the first round of the NEWMAC playoffs this Wednesday.