Sam DeMello scored one goal and set up the game winner as St. Lawrence University's men's soccer team had to go into overtime on a 90 degree day to subdue Vassar 2-1 in the Liberty League soccer opener for both teams in Poughkeepsie on Friday.

The Saints, 5-2-0 overall and 1-0-0 in league play, won their third straight, but needed an extra 18:46 to do it despite a hefty advantage in shots on goal and a number of great scoring chances which went unconverted.

"Sam DeMello was tremendous today," said Saint coach Bob Durocher.  "His composure on the first goal was unbelievable. He danced around a couple of defenders, went one way, then came back the other and finally tucked it inside the far post. He was really dragging at the end and had just taken a hard tackle, but came through with a great ball on the winning goal."

DeMello sent a pass ahead to Sean Scott who made a run up the right side and while the goalie came out to play the pass, Scott beat him to the ball, stepped around him and put it into the empty net for the game winner and his third goal of the year at 108:46.

DeMello scored the game's first goal at 39;20, but Vassar came back to tie when Ross Macklin sent a ball from outside the box to Harrison Freund and Freund put it behind Saint goalie Nate Goss-Woliner at 42:11 to make it a 1-1 game at the half.

The Saints outshot Vassar 24-14 and had seven corner kicks for four for the Brewers, now 5-3-0 overall and 0-1-0 in league play.

"Vassar always plays us tough," said Durocher. "We seem to come up with ways to win down here, but it is always a struggle. Today it was Sam DeMello...he finds a way to help the team win. We were definitely dangerous around the goal today, but it took us a long time to get the second one."

Goss-Woliner finished with two saves for the Saints while Vassar goalie Ryan Grimme had seven saves and the Brewers had a team save.

The Saints will be out to complete a sweep of their opening league weekend when they play at Rensselaer on Saturday.