Box Score
MANSFIELD, Conn. – In an admittedly small sample size (three matches), the Eastern Connecticut State University men's soccer team has played some of its best soccer this year on its home pitch, Rick McCarthy Field.

And other than a short span of three minutes, it was more of the same Wednesday night against Rhode Island College in a Little East Conference match. After playing LEC leader Rhode Island (7-1-1, 3-0-0) to a scoreless draw through the first 62 minutes, the Warriors faltered for a stretch of less than three minutes when the Anchormen scored twice and held on for a 2-1 victory.

The loss keeps Eastern (1-5-3, 0-2-1 LEC) winless in the conference and extends its winless streak to seven (0-4-3) since a 3-0 victory at Massachusetts College a month ago. Since losing three straight in the series to Eastern, Rhode Island has captured the last three – all by one goal. With its seventh straight victory since losing and tying its two opening matches, the Anchormen – picked to finish fourth in the nine-team conference in the pre-season --  move a half-game ahead of Western Connecticut State University in the conference standings.

Wednesday, both teams had a handful of scoring chances in the first half – Eastern senior keeper Nathan Yeich (Willington) denying the Anchormen on the best opportunity for either team  just 12 minutes into play with he timed his leap to bat  Anthony Recinos' free kick over the crossbar.

With the match still scoreless midway through the second half, Recinos powered the Anchormen to a 2-0 lead by scoring the first goal on a 35-yard bomb under the crossbar for his fifth goal of the year in the 62^nd minute, then helping Sekou Kamara score his fifth goal when he sprung the junior with a through-ball in the 65^th minute. Ahead of the field, Kamara blasted a point-blank missile past Yeich and into the upper part of the net.

As it did in a physical 2-2 tie with nationally-ranked U.S. Coast Guard Academy in the home-opener three weeks ago, Eastern continued to battle back, cutting the deficit in half when sophomore Sebastian Kadlof (Clinton) finally beat RIC senior keeper Wesley Perrotto with a third consecutive head ball with 15 minutes left. The goal came less than a minute after Perrotto denied Kadloff with a miraculous save diving to the right post on a blistering shot that deflected off a player and was heading inside the  post.

In an evenly-played match, both teams had 11 shots and both keepers made three saves with a near-standoff (5-4, RIC) in corner kicks.

Kadlof took five of Eastern's shots – putting four of them on net -- while Kamara and Recinos combined for eight of their team's shots, placing five of them on goal.

Eastern plays its fourth straight LEC match Sunday at noon at VTSU Castleton (2-5-3, 0-3-0 LEC) at Dave Wolk Stadium. The Warriors have won all ten encounters in the series, outscoring Castleton by 34-4 with six shutouts.