WILLIMANTIC, Conn. --  After allowing an uncharacteristic two goals (in a little more than two minutes) in a Little East Conference-opening victory Saturday, the Eastern Connecticut State University defense returned to form Sunday with a solid 2-0 shutout of Springfield College in a non-conference match at Thomas Nevers Field.

With the win – its fourth by shutout -- Eastern (6-0-0) extended its best start under seventh-year head coach Greg DeVito. Playing Springfield (1-6-0) at home for the first time in this brief three-game series, Eastern repeated the 2-0 victory it posted over the Pride in the opening round of last year's NCAA tournament at Amherst, MA.

With the help of starting defenders Bradley Fletcher (Middletown), Christopher Giustina (Enfield), Jordan Clark (Manchester) and Mike Radlbeck (Westbrook), senior keeper Jordan Munsell (Waterford) was threatened only once and needed only four saves to record his sixth shutout in 11 career starts and lower his career goals-against average to 0.45.

Making his first start of the season, Springfield senior keeper Chris Walton (Cromwell) didn't need a save in a scoreless first half, but was the victim of two wonderful Eastern goals in a brief eight-minute span that put the match in Eastern's win column.

Scoreless through the first four match of the year, Eastern senior midfielder Matt Furman (Montville) scored Eastern's first goal of the match and assisted on the second to give him three goals and an assist in a little more than 24 hours. Senior  forward Cory Tobler (Portland) added his second goal in two matches  to provide insurance.

Furman's goal came on Eastern's first shot of the second half – less than a minute into play -- on a diving off  a beautiful cross across the box from junior midfielder Carl Stensland (Storrs). Tobler followed eight minutes later ith a blistering ground ball from the right side on a long pass from Furman that Walton had no chance on.

Munsell needed one acrobatic save to preserve the two-goal lead on a header from in close by Springfield sophomore midfielder Zach Dutter (Dallas, PA) minutes after Tobler's goal. Dutter was able to control the rebound, but sent it over the cross bar for the Pride's last threat.

For Springfield, four of its first five losses had come by one goal (two in overtime), with the fifth to regionally-ranked Wesleyan University. Sunday's shutout was the fourth, however, for the Pride, which has managed more than a goal in a match only once this season.

While Eastern scored twice in the second half Sunday, the Warriors had scored both of their goals in the opening half in last year's NCAA victory. The shot totals were even in both matches.

Ranked fifth in New England, Eastern has allowed only three goals in six matches, two coming minutes apart when the Warriors opened their season with a 3-2 victory at Rhode Island College.

Eastern hosts Plymouth State University Saturday at 1p.m. in a Little East Conference match.