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HUNTINGTON - Gabe Craig prefers playing in the field.

But when the Gateway Regional boys soccer team needed a goalkeeper this year, the junior stepped into the position and has looked right at home in net all season.

The Gators' forward-turned goalie-was especially dominant Tuesday night with nine saves in his team's 2-0 win over Hopkins Academy in the Western Massachusetts Division 3 Tournament quarterfinals.

"Gabe is a gamer. He's a really good field player and he's played the role of goalie for us," Gateway coach Tim Gamble said. "He stepped up big (Tuesday night). He's stepped up big in a lot of games for us. He likes the competition. He likes the pressure."

Craig posted 10 shutouts during the regular season and extended his shutout streak to five straight with the win.

Playing goalie "is totally different. I love playing the field because you have the opportunity to score. But goalie definitely has its advantages because everyone is relying on you," said Craig, who played goalie in a summer league in 2007 and saw action in net in one varsity game last year. "There was no one really on the team that has goalie experience (heading into the season), so I stepped up."

No. 4 Gateway (11-2-4) advanced to the semifinals where it will face No. 1 Smith Academy (14-2-3) at a time and place to be announced. The Gators went 0-1-1 against the Falcons during the regular season.

No. 5 Hopkins finished its season at 11-3-5. Craig set the tone early on Tuesday with a diving stop on Hopkins' standout forward Tyler Szymkowicz.

"It was a huge confidence boost," Craig said. "I was just ready for anything after that."

Gateway then got on the board in the eighth minute when Sam Cummings took possession on the left side. He didn't get much power on the cross attempt, but it was enough to get through two Hopkins defenders to Jeremy Tanguay, who blasted the shot high into the back of the net.

"The complexity of the game changes based on who scores first," Golden Hawks coach Justin Campbell said. "We each came out and had a couple of shots. Unfortunately, one of their first ones, a nice one, found the back of the net. That was huge for them."

The Gators kept the pressure on, with both Tanguay and Keegan Cornell narrowly missing shots on goal, before Gabe Richardson sent a through ball between two defenders to Todd Langdon up front.

Langdon beat Hopkins goalie Andrew Bemben (four saves) in a race to the ball and blasted a shot into the net for a 2-0 lead with 24 minutes, 20 seconds left in the first half.

"I knew they were going to come out strong" after falling behind 2-0, Craig said. "I figured there was going to be more shots because I knew they wanted this game. I just told myself to be ready."

Hopkins did pick up the intensity in the second half, especially in the game's final 30 minutes when it put constant pressure on the Gateway back line.

"We knew it was coming because they are too proud of a team and too well-coached to not make a run at us," Gamble said.

But the Golden Hawks could not solve Craig and the defensive play of Tyler Main, Josiah Cook, Korey Whitaker, Matt McCready, Joe Simonowicz and Cummings.

Craig "was spectacular. He made impressive save after impressive save," Campbell said. "I have to think we put at least eight or nine quality chances on the frame and he made some dandies. That's just the nature of this game. You can play really, really well and have nothing to show for it."

The loss marked the final game for Hopkins seniors Tim Cooke, Karl Kapinos, George Copoulos, Scott Fournier, Scott Lamica, Chris Mathieu, Florian Doemer and Greg Mathieu.

"We haven't had to play from behind too much this year," said Campbell, whose team shared the McGrath South title with Smith Academy, ahead of third-place Gateway. "But I thought the kids showed some resiliency and character and battled hard throughout the first half and most especially in the second half. They left everything they had on the field tonight."

With the win, Gateway finished the year 7-0-2 at home.

"We play good defense and we play real good defense at home. We were going to be in close games because of our defensive abilities and schemes," Gamble said. "Unfortunately, we don't have any more home games. We have to play at a neutral site. That's OK because they do too."

Jim Pignatiello can be reached at jpignatiello@gazettenet.com.

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