WILLIMANTIC, CT (Oct. 20, 2026) — UMass Boston men's soccer (6-5-1, 3-2-1 LEC) rallied from a first-half deficit to defeat Eastern Connecticut State (6-5-1, 2-4-1 LEC) 2-1 on the road at the Mansfield Sports Complex, with a pair of second-half goals — both fueled by bench contributions — completing the comeback.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Eastern Connecticut State struck early, as Brad Balgach found the back of the net in the eighth minute off an assist from John Bennett via the set peice, putting the Beacons in a 1-0 hole.
UMass Boston generated seven first-half shots but could not find an equalizer before the break, heading into halftime trailing by one.
The Beacons came out of the halftime break with renewed purpose. In the 52nd minute, Eduardo Chirico (Minas Gerais, BR.) leveled the match at 1-1, finishing off a pair of assists from Ryan Doherty (Donegal. IR) and Rafael Gross (Minas Gerais, BR.) to swing the momentum decisively in UMass Boston's favor.
The go-ahead goal came in the 66th minute, when Pedro Moraes (Boston, Mass.) — on as a substitute — buried the game-winner with assists from Gustavo De Paula (Framingham, Mass.) and Parker Hamilton (Lexington, Mass.), pushing the Beacons ahead 2-1. Eastern Connecticut State pressed late as a shot by Balgach went wide in the 86th minute and UMass Boston held on to secure the victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
UMass Boston dominated the statistical picture, outshooting Eastern Connecticut State 16-7 overall and 8-3 on goal, while holding a 6-3 edge in corner kicks. Goalkeeper JJ Devine (Halifax, Mass.) played all 90 minutes, making two saves and allowing one goal to earn the win.
Moraes' goal was his first tally of the season, while Chirico is tops on the team with four goals.
UP NEXT:
The Beacons return home Saturday, Oct. 24, to host Plymouth State University at BC High JV Field in Boston for their Senior Day celebration. Kickoff is set for 12:00 PM.
To stay up to date on all things UMass Boston Athletics, follow the Beacons on Instagram (@UMassBeacons), and X (UMassBostonAthletics), and read the latest stories and updates here at https://beaconsathletics.com.
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