Bryant posts first clean sheet of 2018 in NEC opener

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University men's soccer team posted its first clean sheet of the 2018 season, and earned its first Northeast Conference in the process, with a victory over Robert Morris on Friday afternoon.

Game Information

Bryant 2, Robert Morris 0

Records: Bryant 1-6-1 (1-0-0 NEC), Robert Morris 2-7-1 (0-1-0 NEC)

Location: Bulldog Soccer Field | Smithfield, R.I.

Coach Purcell's Comments

"It feels great. The boys have been working hard all season and I think today showed the true character of this team. We came out and battled hard throughout the game. We were able to connect passes and be positive going forward, which we were working on all of this week. I'm just really happy for them. Really, really happy for them."

Key Moment

Freshman Ben Williams (Unionville, Ontario) collected the ball in midfield and fed it wide to sophomore Antonio Terceros (Toronto, Ontario), who was able to shrug off a defender and fire the ball far post to give Bryant the lead within the first 11 minutes.

Scoring Summary

• 11^th minute – Bryant 1, Robert Morris 0 – It was a Canadian Connection that gave the Bulldogs all they would need, as Williams found Terceros down the right flank and the Toronto native was able to muscle his way inside the edge of the box and curl it over the keeper and into the left side netting.
• 19^th minute – Bryant 2, Robert Morris 0 – Sophomore Jared Lee (South Setauket, N.Y.) doubled Bryant's lead, as he headed a corner on frame that deflected off a Robert Morris defender and squirted across the line to give the Bulldogs some insurance.

Stats/Notes

• The Bulldogs are now unbeaten in all 11 matches with Robert Morris, including seven victories over the Colonials.
• Terceros and Cypriano combined for nine of Bryant's 16 shots on the day. Each of them put three shots on frame.
• Along with Lee, sophomore Charles DeSantis (Saint-Mathias-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada) also put a shot on net.
• Terceros' goal was the second of the season and the third of his collegiate career, while Lee scored his second in the last three games.
• Williams has now compiled four points in his last three games, surging to the top of the team leaderboard.
• Junior Olivier Larente (Garches, France) made three saves in net to compile his second collegiate clean sheet.
• The fouls ended up even on the day at 20 apiece, while the Bulldogs controlled the shot margin 16-9.
• Bryant is now unbeaten in their last six conference openers, including four victories.

Up Next

The Bulldogs conclude their three-game homestand on Sunday when they play host to Saint Francis U at 3 p.m. on Bulldog Youth Academy Reunion Day in Smithfield.