The following article was in the Oct. 11 issue of
The Boston Globe written by Marvin Pave. To view the article on
The Boston Globe website
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John Manna had a memorable homecoming last weekend.
The Union College junior midfielder from Acton scored the winning goal on a curling shot off a corner kick to give the men's soccer team a 3-2 overtime victory at Babson College in Wellesley.
“It was a timely goal and win,'' said Union head coach
Jeff Guinn, whose team improved to 7-2, “because we had three tents set up after the game for an alumni reception that included former players and their families from the Boston area.''
The reception was arranged by the families of three area players on the Union squad - Manna, a former leading scorer at Buckingham Browne & Nichols, senior defender and tri-captain
John Mara of Concord (Middlesex School), and junior forward
Ben Stewart, a former standout at Acton-Boxborough Regional High.
“I called my dad Friday night and asked him to buy me some cleats I could wear for the rainy conditions and wet field last Saturday, so I thanked him for that afterwards,'' said Manna, who had four goals going into Friday's game at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
“It was pretty convenient for our parents to organize the get-together since they all live close to Babson. I've had a few game-winners before but this one definitely meant a lot. Two years ago at Babson we lost in the final 10 seconds, 2-1, so that was definitely on my mind.''
Manna has adapted well at wide midfield after two seasons at forward, where at 5-foot-5 he had quite a challenge with his back to the defenders.
“Now he can take advantage of his quickness and dribbling ability,'' said Guinn, whose team was ninth in the East Region with a four-game win streak.
Speaking of his other local players, he said, “Mara has started every game since the fifth game of his freshman year and has done well at center-mid after playing outside back. He's the hardest working player I've ever coached here. And Stewart has worked his way into the rotation after some fine practices and has chipped in with a pair of goals.''
