Box Score
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Defense usually wins games, but in the case of Eastern Connecticut State University's scoreless soccer decision against the University of Hartford Saturday afternoon at Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium, it may have prevented a loss.
 
While Eastern's (1-1-1) offense looks to regain its health this year, the defense – led by veterans Walter Scudder (Unionville) and Lex Edwards (Milford) -- continues to keep the Warriors in contention.
 
Against Hartford (1-0-1), senior keeper Nathan Yeich (Willington) was called upon for just one save on the only one of the Hawks' ten shots to reach the net, and the defense extended its unscored-upon streak to 243 minutes and 36 seconds as the Warriors improved to 1-0-1 against Hartford in the re-birth of the ten-game series that began last year as Hartford moves from Division I to Division III.
 
While 16 shots resulted in four goals in last year's shutout victory over the Hawks at Thomas Nevers Field, Saturday's 15 attempts – shared by eight different players --  netted none this time. UH sophomore keeper Ryan Lunn, a University of New Haven transfer who allowed two goals in 45 second-half minutes a year ago against Eastern, stopped all five of the shots that reached net this year.
 
In the 66th minute, the Warriors had the best chance of the day as first-year forward Eliot Melgar (New York, NY) fired a shot that Lunn deflected off the post.

The Warriors held possession for most of the contest getting the first chance in the 4th minute with a shot that was blocked. In the 11th minute, Lunn stopped his first shot of the evening turning away senior Sean Cafferty (Clinton), whose third goal of last year with 16 minutes left in the first half had given the Warriors a 2-0 lead against UH last fall. Lunn made two more stops in the half as the teams continued to battle without shots for the final 20 minutes in the first half. 

In the 47th minute Hartford sophomore Austin Murawski had a good chance to put the Hawks on top, but it couldn't find the target. Three minutes later, graduate student Trey Sadler logged Hartford's only shot on target, but Yeich made the stop. Sadler and senior Kellijah Morgan each had final minute chances  that escaped the net. 

The contest was the second of three straight at home for Hartford that open the season, while Eastern opens at home Tuesday at 7 p.m. against the U.S. Coast Guard Academy as the programs resume a 31-game rivalry. The teams have not met since Eastern posted a 2-1 overtime home win in 2015 to extend its unbeaten streak against the Bears to seven (5-0-2).

The University of Hartford Sports Information Office contributed to this game account.