After a brief stop at home for Thursday’s 3-0 win over visiting Quinnipiac (2-3), the Northeastern men’s soccer team was back on the road Saturday to take on the Sacred Heart Pioneers in Fairfield, Conn. The Huskies (3-3-1) led late in the second half, but SHU’s Carlos Silva converted on a second half penalty kick to tie the game for the pioneers and prevent the Huskies from picking up their fourth win of the season. The goal came at the 78-minute mark and gave Sacred Heart (1-2-4) their fourth tie of the season.
NU sophomore Jeff Gannon put the Huskies up 1-0 at the 18:21 mark on a feed from fellow sophomore Jay Betley. For the remainder of regulation, as well as the overtime period, Pioneer keeper Jason Roeder shut down the Dogs. Northeastern out shot SHU 17-11 with eight of those shots being on net, compared to SHU’s three shots on net, but once again the Dogs failed to pick up a crucial road win.
“We’re comfortable at home,” said coach Ed Matz, “but we haven’t proven we can win on the road.”
Of their first seven games, five have been on the road.
“We haven’t done well away from home,” said Captain Joe Parrish. “To be considered good, you have to win on the road.”
On Thursday, in front of their home crowd, the Huskies completely shut down visiting Quinnipiac University en route to a much-needed 3-0 win. With just 15 seconds left in the first half Jay Betley scored what turned out to be the game winner in a dominant performance by NU.
“The adjustments we made in Denver are definitely showing,” Matz said. “We wanted to establish more physical play in the back, and apply more pressure on defense.”
Although they only scored one goal in the first half, the Huskies were clearly in control of the game, out shooting the Bobcats 17-1 with 14 shots on net in the period. Neither team took control early in the second, until NU freshman Daniel Ivec deflected in a shot off an Atha Kirkopoulos corner, giving the Huskies a 2-0 advantage at the 67:16 mark. The Huskies added another goal with less than four minutes remaining in the game, when Andrew Hickey capitalized on a QU turnover and scored on a breakaway. Northeastern out shot Quinnipiac 28-5 and if it weren’t for Bobcat keeper Cory Shilcock-Elliott’s impressive 20 saves, the score would have been much more lopsided.
Husky keeper Sergio Saccoccio was forced to make just two saves on the way to his second shutout of the season.
With the win the Huskies find themselves back at .500 for the season, a place they would like to remain.
“It’s a terrible feeling, anytime you’re under .500,” Parrish said. “Everybody’s playing better now, and learning their role.”
The Huskies are off until Thursday, when they travel to Hartford at 7 p.m. for their second America East match up of the season.
“Now starts conference play,” Matz added, “where it’s do or die.”
Then, on Sunday, the Huskies host the University of Maryland-Baltimore County at Parsons Field at 1 p.m.
NU is currently 1-0 in America East play.
