(10-07-06)
Box Score
Sparkill, N.Y. -- Sophomore Jessey Fernandez (photo) blasted home a direct free kick early in the match and the defense tightened for its second consecutive shutout, as the UNH men's soccer team improved its postseason position with a 1-0 East Coast Conference win at St. Thomas Aquinas on Saturday afternoon.
New Haven (5-7-1, 4-1-1 ECC) may have clinched a spot in the ECC's postseason tournament with a victory. They have 13 points in the league's standings with just two ECC matches remaining.
Early in the contest, Fernandez took a direct free kick from the left of the 18-yard marker, and buried a swirling shot past the STAC goalkeeper for a 1-0 edge.
"It was an ugly game," said UNH head coach Matt Verni, "but it was a complete team win, a team effort. They played direct and aggressive, we were both just bashing it back and forth and it became a battle of field position. Very, very physical game as well, we had some guys going for stitches after the match."
The Chargers defense then tightened to preserve the shutout, led by goalkeeper James Hilaire. The Chargers played New York Tech to a scoreless draw on Tuesday, and have not allowed a goal now in the last 262 minutes, 15 seconds dating back to a first-half goal allowed in a 2-1 win at Bridgeport on Sept. 27.
"We generally don't play this style of soccer," Verni continued, "but the field conditions and our opponent dictated that. It ended up being a very even game because of that, but it's another step towards making our conference playoffs."
Verni cited the play of Hilaire in goal for the Chargers, saying that he made some nice stops on tricky bounces. Coach Verni also cited the play of John Nolan, Damien Slubowski, Maurice Aboud and Gil Arredando.
"And Jelani Joslyn had some really nice chances," Verni said. "He got robbed a couple of times where they kicked his ball off the line."
The Chargers travel to nearby Southern Connecticut State University for a non-conference match on Tuesday, before returning to Dodds Stadium on Saturday, October 14 to host ECC foe C.W. Post in what could end up being a battle for the number two seed in the ECC postseason tournament.
