Forward Eduardo Ortiz
By Christopher Boulay
A flurry of early goals sent CCSU men’s soccer team to their third win of the spring season, defeating American International College 3-0.
A brace by striker Joel Diamand opened the score sheet for the Blue Devils (3-1-0), who got back to their winning ways Saturday, after a 3-1 loss to Yale last weekend.
In addition to Diamand’s two goals, striker Raphael Guimaraes scored to make it 3-0, a scoreline that was comfortably protected for the remainder of the match.
“We were up 3-0 up here. We should have gone and killed the game off,” Captain Robert Cavener said. “There was a lot of changes being made, and it is experimental in the spring, so maybe we haven’t got that bond yet. Good result, we just need to perform better in the second half.”
In the second half, Eduardo Ortiz had a brilliant opportunity to add to the lead on a breakaway, but the Yellow Jackets’ keeper made a sliding save to prevent more damage from being done.
Despite the lead, Cavener was not thrilled with the second half display by his team, and made it clear that the squad needs to improve before their season finale.
“We’ve come up against teams like this, and we go up a couple of goals, and we kind of drop to their level. No disrespect to them, but they are not anywhere near our level,” Cavener said. “They were the better team in the second half. That was the same that happened at Yale. Whether its endurance or fitness levels, we have to get on that. The Pioneers is a harder game.”
Yellow Jackets’ forward, Thomas Denomme had the best chance of the night for his team, but the shot from the right corner of the 18-yard box was saved by Blue Devils goalkeeper James Perkins.
“A 3-0 lead is a complacent lead,” Green said. “I was surprised at how hard [AIC] kept playing. In the second half I thought they would calm down a bit, but they didn’t. They really took it to us in the second half. But, what is important to me is establishing the shutout again.”
Perkins, along with Anthony Occhialini and Ian Mangione shared in the spoils of the clean sheet.
“Perkins made some good saves, he did well. Credit to him, as he’s been out for a long time. To come back in a tough game like this, he did what was needed,” Green said. “I am glad he was exposed and got the chances that he faced. It did a lot for his confidence.”
This is the Blue Devils’ second clean sheet of the spring season.
CCSU will face the Western Massachusetts Pioneers, a member of the United Soccer League’s Premier Development League Saturday at 7 p.m. at Arute Field. The last meeting between the two clubs was last spring, where CCSU held off the Pioneers 3-2 at Arute. This match is rescheduled from April 16.
