MILTON, Mass. - University of Southern Maine freshman Alan King (Scarborough, Maine) scored 3:26 into overtime on Saturday afternoon as the Curry College men's soccer team suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat at Walter M. Katz Field.

With the loss, Curry drops to 0-1-1, while USM improves to 1-0-1. 

A long USM free kick from beyond midfield was nodded by senior Zekariya Shaib (Portland, Maine) over the head of a Colonel defender, finding King streaking down the left side of the box. The rookie made no mistake, finishing past a frozen Kyle Tremblay (Methuen, Mass.) to seal the victory for the visitors.

The first half was a chess match, and the game's first shot didn't come until the 26th minute. Both teams had solid scoring opportunities in the waning minutes of the half. In the 43rd minute, a misplay in the back left USM's keeper out of position with Curry sophomore Giovanni Martins (Brockton, Mass.) all alone at the top right corner of the box. Martins attempted to chip the ball into the cage over a Southern Maine defender, but the ball floated just over the top of the unguarded cage for a goal kick. In the 45th minute, USM freshman Tyler St. Martin (Lebanon, N.H.) headed a cross off the goal post, but redirected away from the cage and out of danger.

At the end of 45 minutes, the Huskies held a 4-3 edge in shots. 

The second half saw both teams continue to get chances, but neither team found the back of the net, forcing overtime. Curry's best chance of the half came in the 74th minute, when sophomore Justin Santiago (La Plata, Md.) ripped a volley from the top of the box, but USM goalkeeper Hayes Estrella (Kennebunk, Maine) made an acrobatic save diving to his left to keep the match scoreless.

In the extra session, King scored on the period's only shot, as both teams played overtime for the second consecutive game to open the season.

Estrella made three saves to earn the victory for the Huskies. For Curry, Tremblay took his first loss of the season despite five saves.

Curry will look to get into the win column when they return to the pitch against Mass. Maritime on Wednesday afternoon for a 4 p.m. start at Katz Field.

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