Box Score NEW LONDON, Conn.— Senior forward Matt Furman (Montville) scored his15th career game-winning goal and senior keeper Jordan Munsell (Waterford) extended his scoreless streak to 343 consecutive minutes as the Eastern Connecticut State University men's soccer team remained undefeated with a 1-0 non-conference verdict over the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Wednesday night.
Ranked fourth in New England and No. 25 nationally, Eastern (13-0-1) remained one of seven unbeaten teams in the NSCAA Top 25 – one of only two not among the national Top 10 among unbeaten teams. Coast Guard (9-4-1) lost for the first time in its last eight outings, having won six and tied one of its previous seven.
Furman scored the only goal of the game in the 14th minute on an assist from sophomore back Nicholas Demo (Brookfield) as the Warriors prevailed in the traditional 1-0 decision against Coast Guard in a series which has seen 12 such final scores in the last 18 meetings between the programs. Eastern won for the fourth time over the Bears.
Anticipating an offside call, the Coast Guard defense and sophomore goaltender Richie Burns let up, but it never came and Furman scored his 12th goal of the season, 37th of his 71-game career on the Warriors' only recorded shot of the half. The two points moved Furman within seven of becoming the fourth 100-point scorer in program history.
Coast Guard had its best opportunity in the opening half when junior Matt Epperly hit the crossbar from 25 yards out in the 24th minute, and Coast Guard junior John Rendon almost tied the game in the 62nd minute when classmate Joe Bodzewski's shot ricocheted off Rendon, but Munsell made the stop at the post.
Munsell, who has logged 342 minutes and 44 seconds without allowing goal, made a sprawling save off a shot by freshman Alexander Lane with 1:30 left in the first half to preserve Eastern's halftime lead.
Eastern had the first chance in the second half and again it was Furman, but this time Burns made a sliding save just over 11 minutes into the second half.
The Bears had a pair of late opportunities late in the game, but Epperly misfired, sending his shot over the goal, from eight yards out with 12:15 left, and freshman Lukas Benedetto blasted a shot high-and-wide from six yards away with seven minutes left.
The shutout was the third straight, seventh in 13 starts this year and ninth in 18 career starts for Munsell, who lowered his season goals-against average to 0.58 and career mark to 0.52.
Eying the third undefeated regular season in program history, Eastern has three regular-season matches remaining. Eastern hosts the University of Southern Maine Saturday at 1 p.m. in a Little East Conference game, visits Babson (ranked No. 8 in New England) Sunday, and hosts conference unbeaten Massachusetts Dartmouth a week from Saturday on Seniors' Day.
