WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University men's soccer team, ranked #13 in the latest NSCAA/HendrickCars.com National Top-25 Poll, defeated Bryant, 3-0 in Northeast Conference on The Great Lawn on Sunday afternoon. The Hawks improve to 10-1-2 overall, the sixth straight season that MU has won double-digit matches under head coach Robert McCourt, and 4-0-2 in the league. The Bulldogs fall to 4-8-2 overall and 2-4-2 in the NEC with the loss.
Three different players found the back of the net for Monmouth, which is now unbeaten in its last six matches. The Blue and White took the match's initial lead just before halftime when junior Erkko Puranen (Viitasaari, Finland /Voionmaan Lukio [Rhode Island]) beat Bryant keeper Victor Tutino with a sliding effort off an assist from Cesar Blacido (Ramsey, N.J. /Ramsey) in the 37th minute. The marker was Puranen's third of the goal season, while Blacido's helper was his second of the year.
The Hawks maintained their one-goal lead until the 61st minute, when a skillful bit of passing helped increase the advantage. Defender Christian Nogueira (Kearny, N.J. /Kearny) played an accurate through ball to Matt Beverin (Glen Rock, N.J. /Glen Rock [Louisville]), whose one-touch pass found Chase Barbieri (Hillsborough, N.J. /Hillsborough) inside the six. The senior captain headed home the goal, giving MU a two-goal advantage.
The match's final score took place in the 90th minute when senior Hermann Trophy candidate Ryan Kinne (Naugatuck, Conn. /Naugatuck) scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season on a penalty kick, which was awarded after a Bryant foul was whistled in the box.
"We came out hard from the start today and were able to get the result," said sophomore Ryan Clark (Freehold, N.J. /Freehold Township.
Monmouth, which controlled the match's tempo, outshot Bryant, 9-4. Each team logged a pair of corner kicks in the contest.
The Hawks, led by senior Hermann Trophy candidate keeper Bryan Meredith (Scotch Plains, N.J. /Scotch Plains-Fanwood), recorded their league-leading eighth shutout of the season against the Bulldogs.
"There's always things to improve on, we didn't play as well as we felt we should have today, but we got the just result," said Meredith.
Monmouth returns to action on Friday at 3:00 pm when it hosts Saint Francis University (Pa.) in a match with pivotal NEC Tournament implications.
"This coming weekend is the biggest one of the season by far up to this point," said Clark.
