Bryant clinches first postseason berth since 2014

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – For the first time since 2014, the Bryant University men's soccer team is headed to the Northeast Conference Men's Soccer playoffs after a win at Central Connecticut clinched a bid into the postseason Saturday afternoon.

Game Information

Bryant 1, Central Connecticut 0

Records: Bryant 4-8-3 (4-2-2 NEC), Central Connecticut 1-13-1 (1-7-0 NEC)

Location: CCSU Soccer Field | New Britain, Conn.

Coach Purcell's Comments

"I'm very very proud of this team. They were under a ton of pressure to go get the win and they had ice in their veins. To win a game on the road is never easy but these young men showed their true character and persevered. In saying all of that, we are not done yet."

Key Moment

After a contested ball in the box resulted in a Bryant foul, junior Olivier Larente (LaSalle, Montreal, Canada) dove to his right and stopped Louis Beddouri's penalty kick, keeping Bryant ahead for good.

Scoring Summary

• 25^th minute – Bryant 1, Central Connecticut 0 – After getting tripped up in the box and seeing Central's keeper, Carson D'Ambrosio, getting sent off, sophomore Felipe Cypriano (Malden, Mass.) gave Bryant all they would need with a penalty kick into the bottom left corner.

Stats/Notes

• The goal for Cypriano is his first of his career. His point total for 2018 increases to five, which is good for second on the team.
• Led by three from Cypriano and a pair added by sophomore Matteo Toti (Rome, Italy), the shot margin finished even at eight apiece.
• Corner kicks also finished equal, with both sides taking three each.
• Bryant's defense posted its fifth clean sheet of the season. All of them have come in the last eight games.
• The Bulldogs' 0.36 conference goals-against average finishes just 0.03 behind the conference record, set by St. Francis Brooklyn in 2016.

Up Next

The Bulldogs are off to Brooklyn, N.Y. with LIU Brooklyn playing host to the 2018 Northeast Conference Men's Soccer Championships next weekend. Bryant will enter as the No. 3 seed and take on Saint Francis U, the No. 2 seed, at a time to be determined on Friday.