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Western New England University

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Men's Soccer 10/22/24
1
Hartford UofH (9-3-2, 3-3-1)
2
Winner Western New Eng. WNE (7-8-3, 3-3-1)
Hartford UofH
(9-3-2, 3-3-1)
1
Final
2
Western New Eng. WNE
(7-8-3, 3-3-1)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Hartford UofH 1 0 1
Western New Eng. WNE 1 1 2

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Lewis Leads Golden Bears Past Hawks 2-1; Keeps WNE in Playoff Picture

Springfield, Mass. (October 22, 2024) – WNE hosted the Hawks of the University of Hartford on Tuesday afternoon. The Hawks got an early goal in the 10th minute. However, Matt Spruill's 21st-minute goal and Tyler Lewis' 64th-minute goal pulled WNE past Hartford for the 2-1 win.

Records:

  • Western New England: 7-8-3 (3-3-1)
  • University of Hartford: 9-3-2 (3-3-1)

How it Happened:

Ty Bevan and Ryan Lunn started the game in goal for WNE and Hartford, respectively. The game started with WNE maintaining the majority of the possession. Shay O'Neill had the contest's first shot in the 6th minute. Lunn made the save in the middle of the net. Tyler Lewis had a major opportunity in the 8th minute with a shot. However, the shot slammed off the crossbar and away from the net. The 10th minute saw the Hawks switch the field, and Devan Jessop send the ball into the WNE penalty box. Jack Merrill gained possession and sent the ball over the group of defenders to Austin Murawski in front of the goal. Murawski sent the ball crashing into the net, and the Hawks had a 1-0 lead. WNE would not let that affect them. They had the next two shots. A shot in the 11th minute went wide, and a shot in the 13th minute was blocked. The Hawks had a shot rise over the net in the 16th minute after a corner kick opportunity, and the Golden Bears had a shot blocked in the 17th minute. The teams traded the ball back and forth. Jack Leland tested Lunn in the 19th minute. However, Lunn made the save. Then, the Golden Bears' pressure finally won. On a throw-in, Jack Leland launched the ball into the penalty box, where Roger Leland redirected the ball to Matt Spruill in the 21st minute. Spruill did not wait. Spruill immediately sent the ball at the net and scored. The Golden Bears tied the game 1-1.

The teams traded possession back and forth, with a shot from WNE missing high in the 29th minute and a corner kick opportunity in the 30th minute. Hartford then had two shots in the 31st minute, with a corner-kick opportunity separating them. WNE had the final five shots in the first half. However, all five shots missed the target and did not test Lunn. The teams entered halftime tied 1-1. WNE led 13-4 in shots at halftime. They also led in shots on goal 3-1. The Hawks earned more corner kick opportunities 2-1, had more saves 2-0, and committed more fouls 6-5.

The second half saw more possession changes, with both teams looking to set up their offense. The Golden Bears were the first to do so with a shot that missed wide in the 52nd minute. They then had a corner kick opportunity in the 57th minute lead to a shot blocked by the Hawks' defense. That led to a shot, but it whistled wide of the goal. The 58th minute saw a major opportunity for WNE. Tyler Lewis sent a quick shot at the top-right corner of the goal. Lunn made a fantastic save to keep the score tied. Both teams had a shot in the 63rd minute. However, neither team tested the opposing goalie.

Then, in the 64th minute. Tyler Lewis was the hero for WNE. Mike Milazzo sent a ball arching into the front of the goal. Lewis let the ball bounced and then sent a header shot into the back of the net. WNE led 2-1. WNE did not stop there. They had three shots and two corner-kick opportunities between the goal and the 82nd minute. They kept possession of the ball and kept pressure on the Hawks. They refused to give up the lead. They had a fourth shot in a row in the 87th minute. Then, Hartford made a move at the WNE goal. Austin Murawski went for goal. Murawski sent a shot at Bevan in the 89th minute, which was saved. Roger Leland would replace Bevan in net after that save. The Golden Bears maintained possession for the most part and held the Hawks off for the rest of the game, and WNE earned the 2-1 conference victory. The final stats saw WNE leading 22-6 in shots, 5-2 in shots on goal, and 4-2 in corner kick opportunities. The Hawks led in saves 3-1 and fouls 13-9.

Coach's Corner

Head coach of the men's soccer team, Devin O'Neill, was asked what O'Neill attributes the crucial 2-1 victory to. "Just a good team effort. The guys played well, good goals from Matty and Ty. Good win, critical points, we needed it, and these guys delivered, so (O'Neill's) happy for them," O'Neill commented.

Game-winning goal-scorer Tyler Lewis was asked to take us through the play, what Lewis saw, and how it felt when the ball hit the back of the net. "I saw Mike get his head up, knowing he was gonna cross it. I knew if the kid let it bounce, he was gonna try and let it go to the goalie. Then, it bounced, and I just got behind and hit the back of the net," Lewis stated. "I knew how important the goal was, but it wouldn't have happened without Mike, and then (Ty Bevan) stepped up big with a big step, even though he is injured, and our defense had some great clearances and defended well."

Goal-scorer Matt Spruill was asked to take us through the first goal and how important the win was. "Huge win, huge three points after two not-so-great games from us result-wise. As for the goal, throw-in, we've had tons of practice with the throw-ins. Usually, most of the time, I make the run back post, and I'm expecting our big guys Sam, Mike, or Rog to flick it on, and this time they did, and I was in the right spot at the right time. (Spruill) Just put it in the back of the net," Spruill answered.

Inside the Lines:

  • The Golden Bears took on the Hawks in Springfield on Tuesday.
  • 9:42 - Austin Murawski gave the Hawks the early lead off assists from Jack Merrill and Devan Jessop. The Hawks had a 1-0 lead.
  • 20:25 - Matt Spruill evened the game at one goal per side off assists from Roger Leland and Jack Leland. The game was tied 1-1.
  • 63:55 - Tyler Lewis netted the go-ahead goal in the 64th minute off an assist from Mike Milazzo. The Golden Bears led 2-1.
  • Ryan Lunn made three saves and let up two goals.
  • Ty Bevan made one save and let up one goal in 89 minutes of action to earn the win for WNE.
  • The Golden Bears beat the Hawks 2-1.

Up Next on the Schedule:

  • WNE will travel to Milton, Massachusetts, for their final regular-season away game of the season. They will take on Curry College at 6:30 PM on Saturday, October 26, 2024.
  • Hartford will host Wentworth Institute of Technology in West Hartford, Connecticut, on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 4:00 PM.
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