Box Score PROVIDENCE, R.I – Facing Little East Conference nemesis Rhode Island College, the Eastern Connecticut State University men's soccer team improved to 27-5 in LEC regular-season play under sixth-year head coach Greg DeVito with a 3-2 victory Saturday afternoon at the RIC Soccer Field.
Now 6-2-2 against Rhode Island (1-3-1, 0-1 LEC) under DeVito, Eastern (5-0-0, 1-0 LEC) got two goals from senior forward Matt Furman (Montville) – his first two of the year -- and one from senior midfielder Cory Tobler (Portland) – his first -- in the first 30 minutes and survived a pair of early second-half goals by the hosts to record its first win on RIC's home field in ten years. Until Saturday, the Warriors were 0-3-2 at Rhode Island since taking a 3-1 decision in 2002. In addition to regular-season play, the clubs have met four times in the LEC playoffs under DeVito, with the Warriors winning two and tying one.
The offensive flood gates opened in the 16th minute as junior midfielder Mitch Power (Douglas, MA) Power dumped a pass down the right side to freshman forward Tim Jennison (Coventry) who turned at the goal line and laced a perfect cross to the back post for Furman to head straight down over the goal line. It was the second career point for Jennison, making his first start.
As the Anchormen tried to settle down, Furman connected on his second of the game on another bang-bang passing play from senior back Bradley Fletcher (Middletown) in the 23rd minute.
Tobler made it 3-0 in the 30th minute, with junior defenders Christopher Giustina (Enfield) and Jordan Clark (Manchester) picking up the helpers.
Prior to Furman's first goal, both teams threatened. Eastern junior midfielder Mitch Power (Douglas, MA) – who entered the match as Eastern's only player with as many as two goals -- struck a laser on a free kick that ricocheted off the crossbar in the 13th minute, and just over a minute later, RIC freshman midfielder Camilo Estrada launched a shot from the left wing that pelted the iron above senior goalkeeper Jordan Munsell (Waterford).
Rhode Island, which started nine freshmen and sophomores, finally got on the board in the 52nd minute as a failed clearing attempt was settled by sophomore defender Jeff Sampaio. His cross from 30 yards out from the right to left side found freshman midfielder Tyler Pacheco streaking in to score just inside the back post for his first collegiate goal. Just over two minutes later, Estrada took a pass from sophomore forward Emmanuel Asiedu in the box to chip in his second marker of the season.
Ranked fifth in New England, Eastern shored up its defense, packing nine players into its own zone to keep the Anchormen from scoring the rest of the way. Munsell made a highlight-reel one-armed jumping save – his only one of the match -- to tip Estrada' potential game-tying laser over the cross bar in the 71st minute.
Eastern hosts Springfield College Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
