WORCESTER, Mass. – The UMass Dartmouth men's soccer team defeated Worcester State University, 2-1, on Wednesday night to earn their first win of the 2024 season. The win improves the Corsairs to a 1-4-1 overall record while the Lancers suffered their fourth loss of the year. The win also marks the first for head coach
Andrew Schaefer as a Corsair.
Both teams exchanged earlier shots in the opening minutes of play featuring a shot on target by sophomore
Mario Rodriguez that Lancer goalkeeper PJ Schmidt was able to save. At the 21:11 mark, Worcester State tacked on the first goal of the night as St. Wilber Garcia slotted the ball into the back of the net to give the home team a 1-0 advantage.
Short after, UMass Dartmouth responded thanks to a score by senior
Braeden LeClair at the 24:43 mark to tie the game. Sophomore
Matt Kobrenski launched a deep ball towards the back post off a freekick where it found Rodriguez. His header was controlled by LeClair who tapped the ball in, leveling the score at 1-1.
Junior goalkeeper
Ethan Donahue posted two stops for the Corsairs, his fourth of the night, shortly after passing the 30-minute mark. In the 37
th minute, junior
Jake Silva curled a cross into the Lancers penalty area where senior
Joey Paiva drilled a one touched shot into the back of the net to give UMass Dartmouth a 2-1 lead before the break.
Rodriguez started the second half of the game with another shot on frame, forcing a stop by Worcester State goalkeeper Sergio Torrado checking into the contest. Sophomore
Thomas Meader and fifth year
Kyle Rhines each produced a shot on target that Torrado was able to snuff.
The Lancers had a late scoring opportunity in the 87
th minute after St. Brady Lovanni fired a shot on goal, but Donahue denied the strike to help cement UMass Dartmouth's 2-1 victory over Worcester State. The Lancers held a 16-13 margin in total shots along with a slight 9-8 edge in shots on-goal. The Corsairs won the corner kick battle after earning three on the night compared to the Lancers with two in the game.
LeClair netted his third goal of the season in tonight's win after ripping three shot attempts. Paiva notched his second score and first game-winner of the year to lift the Corsairs past the Lancers. Kobrenski dished out his second assist of the season while Silva and Rodriguez each recorded their first helpers of the year.
Donahue earned his first win in net as a Corsair after registering eight saves and allowing just one goal against Worcester State. Schmidt and Torrado each ended the night with three stops apiece.
UMass Dartmouth host the United States Coast Guard Academy on Tuesday, Sept. 24 for their next non-conference tilt scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm from Cressy Field.
