DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men's soccer drew against Little East Conference rivals Rhode Island College, 0-0, on Wednesday evening from Cressy Field. The Corsairs are now 3-2-2 in conference action and 7-7-2 overall on the season with the tie to the Anchormen who moved to a 0-3-3 league record.
Junior Matt Krobenski produced the first goal scoring opportunity for the Corsairs in the 12
th minute of play after UMass Dartmouth earned a free kick a few yards outside the Anchormen box. Krobenski rifled a shot from distance that flew over Anchorman goalkeeper Elhadji Ndoye and deflected off the crossbar. Shortly after, first year
Lennon Rodrigues fired a strike on frame that Ndoye was able to handle for his first save of the contest.
At the midway point of the half, junior Reilly Rebello checked into the game and made an immediate impact for the Corsairs with a shot on target that Ndoye saved. UMass Dartmouth earned another dangerous free kick in the 35
th minute that junior
Nate Cordeiro whipped into the box. Senior
Peter Kerrigan got a touch on the cross, but Ndoye was able to collect the ball. Corsairs goalkeeper
Ethan Donahue made a crucial save late in the half to deny a shot from Michael Strain to keep the game scoreless heading into the break.
In the second half, junior captain
Mario Rodriguez tallied two strikes on frame, both stopped by Ndoye, to get the Corsairs offense going early. Sophomore
Brennan Hill and junior
Joey Renquinha each posted shots for UMass Dartmouth approaching the midway way point of the second half. Then in the 76
th minute, Cordeiro almost broke the scoreless deadlock with a long-range effort off a free kick that redirected off the woodwork.
Crossing the final ten minutes of the game, the Corsairs pushed their attack with sophomore
Daniel Jordan putting a strike on frame that Ndoye stopped for Rhode Island. Despite late efforts by Jordan and fifth year
Andrew Pacheco who each produced a shot on target the conference tilt finished in a 0-0 stalemate from Cressy Field.
UMass Dartmouth outshot Rhode Island 21-5 and held an 8-1 shots on-goal differential in the contest. The Corsairs also earned eight corner kicks compared to the Anchormen with just one on the evening.
Rodrigues led the squad with six shots in the game including one on target while Rodriguez and Cordeiro finished with three strikes apiece. Both Rodriguez and Jordan fired a pair of shots on frame for the Corsairs in league draw while Pacheco, Kerrigan, and Rebello notched one strike on-goal.
Donahue contributed to a solid defense effort in net for UMass Dartmouth and finished with one save one the evening to move to a 6-5-2 overall record. Ndoye concluded the game with eight total saves in net for the Anchormen.
UMass Dartmouth hosts Worcester State University for their last non-conference game of the season on Saturday, October 25 slated for a 3:00 p.m. kickoff.
