Box Score WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – A goal by Pedro Dasilva (Fogo, Cape Verde) lifted men's soccer to a 1-0 Little East Conference victory over Eastern Connecticut State University Saturday afternoon at Thomas Nevers Field.
The win, marks the first for the Beacons over the Warriors since 1999, and the first-ever on Nevers Field. It also stands as the first shutout since the 1990 campaign, when they took a 2-0 victory. With the victory UMass improves to 7-4, 3-0 in the conference. The Warriors dropped to 5-3-2, and 2-1 in the LEC.
The Beacons 3-0 start in conference play is the best in program's history since the conference expanded to the current eight team field.
It also marked the first-time in school history that men's soccer has shutout it's first three conference opponents having defeated the University of Southern Maine, 4-0 and UMass Dartmouth 7-0.
Dasilva's goal came in the 54th minute when the junior was able to get off the game-winning shot at the top of the box. On the day, the Beacons led the match with a 12-7 advantage in shots. Eastern Connecticut managed just one more shot on goal then then Beacons, 5-4.
In goal, junior Alfonso Rosales (Revere, Mass.), made the five stops to improve his record to 6-3 overall. The shutout was the third of the year for the Revere native, and sixth in his Beacons career. With the victory, Rosales now sits tied for fourth all-time with 16, while his sixth shutout has him tied for sixth.
UMass also finished with a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The Beacons return to action on Tuesday when they travel to St. Joseph's College (Maine ) for a 3:30 p.m. non-conference match.
