Men’s Soccer Starts CCC Action in Winning Fashion, Shutouts Gordon, 1-0

EAST BOSTON – A late header by Erik Van Even helped Suffolk men's soccer start the Commonwealth Coast Conference in the win column as the freshman's goal lifted the Rams over Gordon, 1-0, Saturday afternoon at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1 | Gordon 0 
RECORDS: Suffolk (4-3-0, 1-0-0 CCC) | Gordon (2-3-0, 0-1-0 CCC)   

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first frame, the Rams came out determined and kept the Fighting Scots' goaltender Brody Veleber on his toes. Right out of the intermission the blue-and-gold peppered Veleber with shots. Most ended up wide to either side until Nigel Leo's attempt. In the air it looked right on target, but was a tad to high as it hit the cross bar to keep things scoreless.  

Xander Balog was tested on the other end as well. The Rams' rookie netminder was backed up by stand-up blue-and-gold defense those and zeros clung to to the board as the end of regulation loomed.   

A goal finally came in the 80th minute. Miguel Varela's corner kick met a dashing Van Even at just the right moment. Van Even headed the ball high into the top left of the net to give the hosts the 1-0 advantage. 

It was time management and smart ball play from there for the hosts to preserve the win. The Rams did just that as they did not let a Fighting Scots attempt reach Balog as defenders stepped up to block shots one after another even on a pair of corner kicks that Gordon got with three minutes left to play.   

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

• Balog improved to 2-2-0 on the year as he stopped the lone shot on target he faced. 
• Veleber turned aside three Rams' attempts in the setback.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Van Even found the back of the net to be responsible for the only tally, which was set up by Varela. 
• The Fighting Scots outshot Suffolk, 16-14, however the hosts put more shots on target, 4-1. 
• Gordon got more corners than the Rams, 5-3.  

NOTEWORHTY

• Suffolk started its CCC era. 
• The Rams and Fighting Scots met for the first time. 
• The blue-and-gold begin its conference calendar in the win column for the first time lifting the lid on the 2018 GNAC gates with a 3-1 win over Rivier Sept. 8, 2018. 
• Suffolk kept an opponent off the scoreboard for the third time this season. The three shutouts are the most for the blue-and-gold since
• Balog is responsible for 66 percent (2-3) of the Rams' cleansheets this year. 
• Van Even netted his third goal of the year. 
• Varela dished out his first collegiate assist.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

COMING UP
Suffolk will be back in Eastie next Saturday, Sept. 25 when it tangles with Salve Regina in a CCC contest at 4:00 p.m.