SWARTHMORE, Pa. (October 13, 2025) – Backed by a flawless 90 minutes from goalkeeper Mario Hajhdi (Ilioupoli, Greece) and a first-half strike from Rafael Gross (Minas Gerais, Brazil), the UMass Boston men's soccer team (7-3-3, 2-1-1 LEC) earned a hard-fought 1-0 road win over Swarthmore College on Monday afternoon.

The Garnet controlled much of the opening half, outshooting the Beacons 7-5 and holding a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks. Hadji was tested early and often, facing five shots on target and turning away each one to keep the Garnet scoreless.

Gross led UMass Boston with three shots, including two on goal, and broke through in the 42nd minute. Quinn O'Hearn (Waterford, Va.) played a pass to Gross from 25 yards out, and the sophomore's driven strike skipped off the wet turf and tucked inside the bottom-left corner for his fourth goal — and first game-winner — of the season.

The Beacons tightened their grip in the second half, outshooting Swarthmore 6-5, and held firm defensively to secure their second straight victory.

UMass Boston returns to Little East Conference play on Saturday, October 18, hosting Eastern Connecticut State University at 12 p.m. from BC High's JV Field in Boston, Massachusetts.

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