DANBURY, CONN. - Behind goals from sophomore
Kadin Talho (Waterbury, Conn.) and freshman
Erik Lorent (Shelton, Conn.), the Western Connecticut State University men's soccer team defeated visiting University of Massachusetts Boston, 2-1, on Alumni Day at the Westside Athletic Complex on Saturday.
With the victory, the Wolves capture their third Little East Conference regular-season title and earn the top seed in the upcoming league tournament, which begins on Tuesday, November 1. They receive a first-round bye, along with the Beacons, and will host a semifinal contest on Thursday, November 3, at a time to be determined. Â
WestConn, the 22nd ranked team in the latest United Soccer Coaches' Poll, improves to 17-0-1 overall and a perfect 7-0-0 in the conference.
Talho got the scoring started in the 23rd minute with a graceful heel kick goal following a pass at the top of the box from junior
Kent Eannarino (Brookfield, Conn.). It was Talho's fifth goal of the season and gave the hosts a lead into intermission.
13:59 into the second stanza, Lorent collected a ricochet off Beacons' goalie Qasim El-Ashkar (Salem, Mass.) and drilled the ball into the back of the onion bag. It was his seventh tally of his rookie campaign.
The WestConn defense, which has registered nine shut outs this season, kept UMass Boston at bay until Nick Braganca (Beverly, Mass.) put away a penalty just 29 seconds after Lorent's insurance marker.
Freshman goalie
Zachary Benson (Milford, Conn.) improves to 14-0 between the pipes after making a pair of saves.
El-Ashkar made a pair of spectacular stops in the second half and finished with nine saves for UMB, which drops to 9-4-3 overall and 6-1-0 in the LEC.
The Wolves close out the regular season with a pair of road games beginning on Wednesday, October 26 when it travels to Randle's Island in New York and take on Pratt Institute at 7:30 pm. WestConn wraps up the campaign at University of Southern Maine next Saturday and a 1 pm tilt with the Huskies in Gorham, Maine.
The Beacons visit WPI for a non-conference meeting on Tuesday, October 25. Game time is set for 7 pm.
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