DANBURY, Conn. – First-year sophomore Tyler Jones's (Vernon) second goal of the season with less than 15 minutes remaining was the difference as three-time defending Little East Conference champion Eastern Connecticut State University opened conference play with a 2-1 win over Western Connecticut State University Saturday night at the Westside Athletic Complex.

At right: Konnor Scarponi (Photo by Liam Murphy)

The victory ends a four-match winless streak (0-2-2) for Eastern (2-2-2), now 7-0-2 in its last nine matches against Western (2-4-1).

Western tied the match late in the first half on the second goal of the season from senior midfielder Phil Dagastino before Jones, a first-team All-New England player at  Manchester Community College in 2012, connected on the go-ahead goal on an assist from junior back Cooper D'Ambrosio (Andover) with  14:25 left in regulation.

Sophomore Aislan Sartori attacked the middle of the Eastern defense, drawing the attention of several defenders.  Sartori moved left with the ball, but passed back to his right, where Dagostino collected the ball and blasted a shot past the Eastern keeper and into the back, left corner of the goal. 

First-year sophomore transfer Konnor Scarponi (Brunswick, ME) had given Eastern a lead midway through the first half on an assist from junior back Gavin Neuendorf (Norwich). Neuendorf  directed a long pass over the top of the Western defense.  Scarponi raced around the right side of the Western defenders, received Neuendorf's pass on a dead run, and beat the Western keeper with a shot just inside the right post.

Eastern controlled the action for the majority of the game's first 15 minutes, keeping the ball pinned in the Western end, and earning several scoring chances including four corner kicks and a direct kick from just outside the top of the box that took a diving effort from Western freshman keeper Austin Tierneyto keep the ball out of the net.

As play continued deep into the second half, Western appeared to dominate time of possession, with the ball staying primarily in the Eastern end of the field. With 15 minutes remaining, Eastern D'Ambrosio took the ball into the Western box, but his crossing pass bounced awkwardly off a Western defender to Jones, who possessed the loose ball just to the left of the Western goal and slipped the ball behind Tierney and just into the right side of the goal.

Eastern held a 17-12 edge in shots, and a decisive 9-1 advantage in corner kicks.  Sophomore keeper Greg Walton (Brunswick, ME) made five saves for his second shutout of the season and Tierney made seven.

Eastern hosts Gordon College Tuesday at 4 p.m. in a rematch of last year's NCAA Division III Tournament first-round match, won by Gordon.

 Western Connecticut Sports Information contributed to this game account.