DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men's soccer team edged the Spartans of Vermont State University Castleton, 3-2, during Little East Conference (LEC) action on Saturday to secure their second league win of the season. The Corsairs improved to 2-1-1 in conference play with the win over the Spartans who dropped to a 0-4 league record.
The Corsairs got on the scoreboard in the opening six minutes of the game thanks to a long-range screamer by junior
Matt Kobrenski to give the home squad a 1-0 lead. Sophomore
Daniel Jordan put Spartans goalkeeper Xander Berthiaume to work with back-to-back shot on frame. Shortly after, first year Lennon Rodgrigues and junior Mario Rodgriguez each posted a shot on target for UMass Dartmouth to force another pair of save by Berthiaume.
UMass Dartmouth continued to generate attacking chances outshooting VTSU Castleton by a 5-2 margin for the remainder of the first half. First year
Leonardo Alfama posted two shots with one on frame while classmate
Dave Doirain added a late strike on target, but the Corsairs held on to their one-goal advantage heading into the break.
The Spartans started the second half strong as Michael O'Connor fired two early shots in the game including one that bounced off the left post. At the 57:45 mark, Jordan found the back of the net after beating his defender and drilling a low right-footed shot into the bottom corner to extend the Corsairs lead to 2-0. A few minutes later, VTSU Castleton answered thanks to a goal by El Hadji Iba Sy to cut UMass Dartmouth's advantage in half.
Entering the final 10 minutes of the contest, junior
Nate Cordeiro lasered a shot on frame that Berthiaume was able to stop for the Spartans. In the 83
rd minute, Rodrigues chased down a long ball sent by sophomore
Brennan Hill. The rookie forward tapped the ball past his defender to squeeze a shot past a diving Berthiaume and put the home team up 3-1. Despite a late score by O'Connor with 86:19 on the clock, the Corsairs sealed their second conference win over the Spartans by a final score of 3-2 from Cressy Field.
The Corsairs saw three different goal-scorers on the day to earn their second league victory of the season. Kobrenski and Rodrigues each produced their second goal of the year while Jordan notched his sixth goal after registering 4-of-5 shots on target. Hill recorded a career-high two assists for two points for the Corsairs marking his third assist of the season.
Senior goalkeeper
Ethan Donahue finished the game with two saves and two goals allowed in the contest to earn his fifth win in net. Berthiaume ended the game with eight total stops and three goals allowed for the Spartans.
UMass Dartmouth is on the road for their next non-conference tilt against Mass. Maritime Academy on Tuesday, October 7 scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.
