West Hartford, CT - The University of Hartford men's soccer team dropped its second-straight game on Saturday night to the University of Massachusetts Minutemen 1-0. The Hawks are now 5-3-1 overall and will open conference play with their next opponent. UMass improves to 5-4 overall.
“Tonight we saw an example of how soccer can be an unjust game,” said head coach Dan Gaspar. “The best team did not win tonight, with all due respect to UMass, but goals do dictate results. At moments tonight, it was the best soccer we have played all season.”
The Minutemen scored the only goal of the game in the 10th minute when Kenny Cook had a shot squeeze through the defense from eight yards out scoring to the middle of the goal from the right side. Cook connected with Douglas Rappaport for the goal. UMass had a chance to score less than a minute earlier when Mark DeSantis drove in from midfield, eluding the Hawks defense all the way in, blasting a shot which deflected off of Hawks keeper Matt Glaeser over the goal for a Minutemen corner kick.
Hartford had its best attempt in the first half came 13 minutes after the Minutemen goal when Gary Muir had his shot stopped and protected by UMass keeper Zack Simmons. Hartford went into the break with five shots, compared to just two from UMass. Both keepers recorded a save in the first 45 minutes.
Neither team had a good scoring opportunity in the second half until there was just 17 minutes left in the half when Bryan Bogan had a shot at an open goal which he sent to the right side of the net. Hartford answered back with its best attempt at the net in the second half with just under 10 minutes to play when Andreas Blamo had an open look at the net on the left side of the pitch, his shot went wide left.
The Hawks will play their next game on the road, opening up conference play at Stony Brook on Wednesday, October 10 at 7:00 p.m. Hartford will return to Al-Marzook Field on Saturday, October 13, to host Vermont in the home conference opener at 6:00 p.m.
