Men's Soccer Shuts Out Merrimack on Sunday

The Central Connecticut men's soccer team scored goals on either side of halftime and collected a 2-0 win over Merrimack in Northeast Conference action on Sunday in New Britain, CT. The Blue Devils posted their third multi-goal game of the year and earned their first league win of the campaign.

The Blue Devils return to action on Thursday, Oct. 20, at FDU in a 7:00 p.m. contest.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 2, Merrimack 0
Records: CCSU (3-8, 1-3 NEC), MC (5-6-2, 2-2-1 NEC)
Location: CCSU Soccer Field | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• The Blue Devils were on even footing with Merrimack throughout the first half until just under 10 minutes remained in the period. CCSU got the ball in the middle of the field and and Taein Ka slid a pass to Brian Son on the left wing. Son would settle the ball and blast a shot past the keeper for a 1-0 lead.
• Daniel Wilmore would make a pair of saves to protect the lead in the opening minutes of the second half. The Blue Devils added an insurance goal in the 63rd minute when Will Starker collected a loose ball in front of the goal and volleyed it in for his first goal of the season to make it 2-0.
• The Blue Devils defense would buckle down to protect the lead from there and after Merrimack when down a man with five minutes to play, the CCSU victory was ensured.

QUOTABLE

"The team knows and believes that we are in every game," said head coach David Kelly. "We are competing and right there with the teams we are playing. We've had some unlucky breaks, but I have a group of guys who can deal with adversity and they have belief. I told them before the game that they are gonna be lucky, but they have to make their own luck and they did that today."

NUMBER TO KNOW

8 - The win snapped an eight-game skid for the Blue Devils.

NOTES

• Wilmore had four saves to collect his first shutout.
• Central earned its first shutout in NEC play since a 3-0 win over Howard on October 3, 2021.
• Son and Starker both scored their first career goals.
• CCSU outshot Merrimack, 6-5. Birk Martinsen had two shots to lead the Blue Devils.
• The win moved CCSU to within four points of three teams tied for the fourth-sixth spot in the NEC standings. There are three games to play in the regular season, with the top six teams qualifying for the postseason.
• The teams were meeting for the fourth time as Division I foes. The Blue Devils are 2-2 agains the Warriors.

UP NEXT

The Blue Devils travel to FDU on Thursday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

All CCSU home games and Northeast Conference games are available to watch online, for free, at NECFrontRow.com.