Box Score
CASTLETON, Vt. --  Junior Tanner Curtis scored on a rebound 11 minutes into the match as Vermont State University Castleton defeated the Eastern Connecticut State University men's soccer team for the first time in 11 tries in the all-time series, 1-0, in a Little East Conference match Sunday afternoon at Dave Wolk Stadium.

Playing for the seventh time on the road in ten outings and with a team that has only been close to full strength at only one position (goalkeeper) this year, Eastern (1-6-3, 0-3-1 LEC) banked upon a perfect record and an all-time scoring advantage of 34-4 against Castleton (3-5-3, 1-3-0)  to end a seven-match winless (0-4-3) streak this year. Instead, Curtis' third goal of the year stood up as the Spartans snapped their eight-match winless (0-3-5) streak this year and ended a ten-match winless (0-4-6) streak in conference play dating back to 2023.

A year ago, Castleton had also taken a 1-0 lead in the first half, but it was short-lived as the Warriors piled on the final six goals – two coming in just over a minute later in the half and two more again just over a minute apart in the second half.
Four of those five goals-scorers from that match were not in the lineup this time around, however.

The only goal materialized in the 35^th minute Sunday when graduate defender Lucas McCane sent a long ball down the left touch line to senior midfielder Toby Ritzkowski, who collected the pass and first chipped the ball to himself over the head of an Eastern defender before heading it into the box to senior forward Adolphe Alfani. With his back to the net and closely marked, Alfani sent a quick shot toward the right post, where Eastern senior Nathan Yeich (Willington) made a brilliant save diving to his left. Yeich got his hand on the ball to keep it out of the net, but Curtis got footing inside an Eastern defender and rifled the rebound into the net vacated when Yeich made the initial save for his team-tying third goal of the year.

Eastern had the majority of the possession in the game – especially in the second half – and had a handful of scoring chances. With 10:33 left and the Warriors trailing by one, Eastern possessed the ball for nearly a minute, playing the ball out of the back. After a throw-in in front of the bench, a left-footed ball into the box went to senior scoring leader Sean Cafferty (Clinton). From six yards out, Cafferty got a foot on it but his off-balance shot sailed over the crossbar.

The Warriors' only corner kick of the first half (one of only three in the game) came with only five minutes remaining and was easily headed out of danger by a Castleton defender. Twelve minutes after taking its 1-0 lead, the Spartans were awarded their first corner kick, but the serve was headed by an Eastern defender to Yeich, who initially juggled it but secured it to defuse the bid.

Yeich was credited with two saves while Castleton first-year goalie Xander Berthiaume made four for his first shutout win since the opening week of the season.

Eastern plays the first of four straight home games – one more home game than it has had thus far – Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Fisher College in a non-conference match on Senior Night at Rick McCarthy Field.