WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The significance of the only previous men's soccer contest before Sunday between Eastern Connecticut State University and Williams College nine years ago lied in the fact that the Warriors were competing in their first-ever NCAA tournament game.

The implications this year were not as significant, but the results largely remained the same as the hosts shut out the Warriors again, this time by a score of 1-0. The loss for Eastern (1-3-1) follows Saturday's first win of the year, a 2-0 verdict over Muhlenberg College at Nevers Field. The shutout victory at home is the second in as many days for Williams (2-0-0), which opened its season with a 2-0 triumph over Trinity College.

The contest concludes a rigorous opening five-game stretch which included two of the top teams in New England in Babson (2-1 loss) on the road and Wesleyan University (1-1 tie). All three losses came by a goal. For Eastern, three of its next five matches are against Little East Conference opponents, and the next three contests are at Nevers Field, where the team was unbeaten in eight regular-season matches last year and is 9-1-1 overall at home since last Sept. 1

After collecting 14 shots and putting six of them on goal in that 2-0 NCAA setback to Williams in 2007, Eastern's offense was much quieter this time (as was Williams'). The teams played scoreless soccer until midway through the second half, when senior JC Bahr de Stefano got the only goal of the match past Eastern sophomore keeper Ryan Murphy (Cromwell). The goal was assisted by sophomore Sean Dory, who had entered the game less than two minutes earlier and promptly received a yellow card before setting up the only goal of the day.

Both of Eastern's shots came in the second half, the first on a wide attempt by freshman Max Parent (Yarmouth, MA) and the second coming with eight minutes left. On the second shot, sophomore Justin Grant (Cromwell) sent the ball toward the front of the net from the right wing. It was deflected out to junior JD Stearns (Bolton), who got off a clean and potentially dangerous shot that was blocked before it reached Williams senior keeper Christian Alcorn.

Murphy made three saves for Eastern. Alcorn did not face any shots as he was able to record his second shutout in as many days.

Eastern plays the first of three straight home matches, opening its Little East season Saturday against Massachusetts Dartmouth at 1p.m. The Warriors are 7-1-1 against the Corsairs in the last nine meetings on their home field, four of those wins coming in the conference playoffs.