Men's Soccer Wins at Manhattan, 3-1
Blue Devils pick up second win of season.
The Central Connecticut men's soccer team scored a pair of first half goals on its way to a 3-1 over Manhattan on Wednesday night at Gaelic Park. The Blue Devils raced out to a two-goal lead and never looked back while improving to 2-3 on the season, while the Jaspers slipped to 0-4 overall.
CCSU was efficient with its attack in the first half, scoring a pair of goals on just three shots. Central claimed an early advantage when senior Dominic Plant took a corner kick in the 15th minute. He sent his kick into the penalty are and it was deflected in off Manhattan for an own goal to give CCSU a 1-0 lead at 14:33.
The Blue Devils added to their lead at the 38:42 mark when sophomore Ryan Taylor raced down the right wing and sent a cross to freshman Louis Beddouri. Beddouri latched onto the ball from five yards away and slipped a shot into the lower left side of the goal to make it 2-0.
The Jasper got one back just before the intermission when Ajani Phillips set up Niels Kirch who finished a strike from 10 yards out to make it 2-1.
Central regained its two-goal advantage early in the second half when senior Ben Knight redirected a shot attempt by freshman Viktor Damgaard past the Manhattan keeper. Knight's second goal of the season made it 3-1 at the 51:01 mark.
The Blue Devils defense was able to absorb Manhattan's offensive pressure to tie the game and did not allow any shots to be on frame during the second half. Senior Josef Abele was only called upon to make one save on the night, while Manhattan's Phillip Mourikes also made one save during his time in goal.
The Blue Devils won despite being outshot, 12-8, and having just three corner kicks to the Jaspers' six.
The Blue Devils play at Albany on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
