SALEM — Lucas Amaral and the Salem State Vikings men’s soccer team weren’t going to be satisfied with second place.
After suffering defeat last season, Amaral said that it was “championship or bust” for the Vikings in 2021. After falling to Framingham State in last year’s Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference MASCAC Finals, the group didn’t want to come up short again.
The Vikings defeated Framingham State, 4-2, in the rematch two weeks ago to give Salem State the MASCAC trophy. Amaral registered an assist as he helped lead the Vikings to victory. Even though he expected to win, he was filled with emotion as the final whistle blew.
“I honestly broke down in tears,” Amaral said. “After all the hard work and after losing, we knew how it felt to lose in the championship against this team so we knew we couldn’t let that happen again.”
Amaral credited his head coach, Matt Correia, for his ability to recruit and ensure that the Vikings can compete year in and year out. The Peabody native said he has learned a lot from the coach both on and off the field.
“He has helped me overall with everything,” Amaral said. “Technically, in practice we are (an) on-the-ball team that likes to pass and keep it between us. As a person, he has taught me a lot outside of soccer.”
Amaral thought that he performed well on the field this past year. The senior amassed four goals and six assists in the 2021 season, but Amaral thought he improved the most as a leader. Even before being named a captain (this was his second year wearing the captain’s armband), the graduate of Peabody High School prided himself on taking freshman players at Salem State under his wing.
Next season, the goal remains the same for Amaral. After suffering a torn ACL in his freshman year and getting an extra year of athletic eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic — which Amaral told The Item he plans on taking — he wants to lift another trophy in what will be his final collegiate season.
“So I think again it’s championship or bust, but other teams are going to be coming for us because we have a target on our backs,” he said.
