FAIRFIELD, Conn. - After a five-match skid dating back to September 4, the FDU men's soccer team (3-5-1, 1-0-0 NEC) found itself back in the win column, securing the program's first three points in the Northeast Conference table in 2022 after a 2-0 victory over Sacred Heart (2-6-0, 0-1-0 NEC) Sunday afternoon at Park Ave Field.
 

How it Happened

First Half

• Through the first 14 minutes, the Pioneers out-shot the Knights 3-1 before momentum shifted FDU's way.
• In the 17', a corner was called for Seth Roland's club and was taken by newcomer Eugenio García that would lead to the game-winning goal off the boot of junior defender Alberto Herranz who headed-in the corner from his fellow countryman to put FDU up 1-0. The goal was Herranz's first of the campaign and second in the Burgundy and Blue while García picked-up his second assist of the season.
• FDU had several chances through the first half before Roland turned to his bench for the lone Knights' substitution of the period when sophomore forward Kevin Leonhard entered the fixture with just over 10 minutes remaining.
• Senior midfielder Jordan Alonge tallied a shot in the 39', the first of three he would have in the match.

Second Half

• With their third halftime lead of the season, FDU looked to lock down the battle and earn a long-awaited result in NEC play.
• After 10 minutes gone by, FDU recorded three shots-on-target in a five-minute span with freshman Matt Giraldo, Leonhard and Alonge's attempts saved by the Pios keeper.
• Following a yellow card assessed against the home club in the 75', Alonge was able to tally a bit of insurance for the Knights when he converted the free kick for a beautfiul score that bent around the Sacred Heart goalkeeper. For the London, England product, the goal was his first of the campaign.

 

Inside the Box Score

• Senior goalkeeper Spencer King was brilliant in goal for FDU with five saves on 17 shots faced en route to booking his third clean sheet of the season.
• FDU is now unbeaten in each of the last six meetings with Sacred Heart with four Knights victories in that stretch.

 

Quotable

"They [Sacred Heart] were trying really hard in the first half to break through our lines," said King. "They didn't do a bad job but we really tightened up in the second part of the first half defensively and gave a solid second half from the boys, got to give it to them, made my job easy. Overall, the boys did great today and we pulled together a great win."
 

The Road Ahead

The four-match road trip comes to an end on Sunday, October 2 when the Knights play host to Merrimack for an NEC showdown at 2 p.m. at University Stadium live on NEC Front Row. FDU will recognize the 2001 Elite Eight men's soccer team at halftime to mark 20 years since their remarkable season - and finish in the NCAA tournament.

Connect with FDU men's soccer on Twitter and Instagram, @FDUKnightsMSOC.