MANSFIELD, Conn. - The visiting Western Connecticut State University Warriors stayed perfect in the Little East Conference (LEC) with a 3-1 victory over the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors in men's soccer action this afternoon at McCarthy Field. WestConn improves to 9-3-3 overall and 5-0 in the LEC with their fifth straight win against the Warriors. Eastern Connecticut drops to 6-3-1 overall and 2-2 in the league with its second setback in a row. The Wolves, who came back from a 1-0 deficit at halftime and outshot the Warriors, 11-3, in the second half, will visit conference rival Southern Maine next on Saturday at noon.
WestConn had an early chance when junior
Chance Campbell (Bartow, Fla.) was denied on a penalty kick by Warrior goalie Jack Harmon in the ninth minute. Wolves freshman goalkeeper
Aime Ruggles (Bronx, N.Y.) came up big moments later with three saves in a span of 5:30 to keep the game scoreless, but was whistled for a foul in the 30th minute that gave Eastern Connecticut a penalty kick. Noah Page converted on the try to Ruggles' right to give the home team a 1-0 lead. Several chances came about in the closing minutes of the first half for the Wolves offense, as sophomore midfielder
Jokin Martinez (Jamaica, N.Y.) missed just wide left in transition, as did senior defender
Aidan Roxo (Danbury, Conn.) just two minutes later.
WestConn senior midfielder
Jeffrey Norales (Bronx, N.Y.) had consecutive shots stopped by Harmon, who finished with eight saves, early in the second frame, but Norales moved the ball quickly after a corner kick to Campbell whose header was off target but redirected into the goal by senior back
Enzo LaGrassa-Gillet (Miami Beach, Fla.) to tie the game at 1-1 in the 56th minute. In the 71st minute, WestConn junior forward
Nickolas Santana (New Haven, Conn.) made good on a double assist by classmate
Juan Gomez Herrera (Brentwood, N.Y.) and freshman
Rodrigo Lancho (Hartford, Conn.). WestConn's defense held the Warriors to just two shots-on-goal the rest of the way, while sophomore
Esteban Tabares (Lodi, N.J.) added an insurance marker in the 87th minute. Ruggles totaled five saves to improve to 8-0-1.
