With a strong start to their season, the men’s soccer team has collected a tie and a win within their first two matches of the 2023 season. They hosted their home opener at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 1 before the women’s soccer game. They faced Western New England University (WNEU) and earned a 0-0 draw. Two days later they traveled to Willimantic, Connecticut to face Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU). They won this second game 3-0.
Though the Judges did not score any points in their home opener against WNEU, they did outshoot the Golden Bears 11-4 within the first half of the match. The Judges did have a promising attempt to score in the final minute of the first half by Nico Beninda ’26. The first shot of the attack was blocked by the WNEU keeper and the shot off the rebound was just wide of the net. In the second half, the Golden Bears came back with greater aggression and outshot the Judges 7-6 with no goals scored in the second half either. For the Judges, Sancho Maroto Tobais ’24 had seven shots in the game with three on net. This was Quinton Wrabley’s second collegiate start and he made two saves to keep the game scoreless. Across the two teams’ past five meetings, this was the third time the game ended in a draw.
In their second game of the season on Sunday, the Judges were able to collect their first win. The 3-0 score was produced by goals from each of the Men’s Soccer captains. The first goal of the game was scored by Roee Maor ’24 who lofted the ball just below the crossbar in a seamless shot on net. With 14 minutes remaining in the first half, the Judges scored once again. This time it was off of a corner kick from Maddox Yu ’27 to Andres Gonzalez ’25 who volleyed the ball into the back of the net. The final goal that the Judges earned in this match was a penalty kick from Tobias directly past the ECSU keeper and into the bottom left corner of the net.
Looking ahead, the Judges will face Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. and Vassar College on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 2 p.m. at home on Gordon Field.
