Box Score
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – In the final analysis, the Eastern Connecticut State University men's soccer team had little to play for Wednesday afternoon in its Little East Conference regular-season finale at Rhode Island College.

Already assured of playing its opening LEC playoff match at home, Eastern (8-7-1, 4-3-1 LEC) put two consecutive seasons with losing conference records behind it, returning to the playoffs despite dropping a 3-1 decision at Alumni Stadium.

On the brink of missing the playoffs after reaching last year's final, Rhode Island (4-7-6, 2-3-3 LEC), broke a 1-1 tie Wednesday by scoring a late first-half goal and an insurance marker midway though the second half to record its fourth straight win over the Warriors.

Seeded fourth in the playoffs, Eastern hosts fifth-seeded University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (7-8-3, 3-3-2 LEC) Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in a first-round match at Rick McCarthy Field. The former six-time LEC champions have competed in the semifinals the last 16 times in which they have qualified for the playoffs. The Eastern-UMD winner visits top-seeded Western Connecticut State University (13-5-3, 8-0-0 LEC) Wednesday in the semifinals.

Rhode Island enters the playoffs unbeaten in its last three matches (2-0-1) after winning at home Wednesday for only the second time in nine matches this season. The No. 6 Anchormen visit No. 3 University of Southern Maine Saturday in a first-round match.

Trailing 1-0 in the opening minutes against RIC, Eastern tied the match when sophomore Eliot Melgar (New York, NY) scored his first goal in a month off of junior Sebastian Kadlof's (Clinton) conference-leading ninth assist of the year (most in a season in the program in 16 years and second-most in the last 33 years). Freshman Jason Liang's first two collegiate goals in the 36^th minute and 67^th minute, respectively, gave the Anchormen the win.

Making his 16^th straight start this year, Eastern sophomore keeper Jack Harmon (Manasquan, NJ) made eight saves – six in the second half – in losing his seventh decision.

Prior to going 0-3-1 in its final four regular-season games, Eastern had edged UMass Dartmouth, 2-1 Oct. 11 at McCarthy Field for its last victory.