Worcester, Mass. (September 1, 2024) – The 1-0-0 Golden Bears traveled to Worcester, Massachusetts for their second game of the season. This time, they took on Clark University. After a scoreless first half, Lucas Saia scored a quick goal for the Cougars, and Keegan Reim scored the equalizer in the 71st minute to help the Golden Bears tie the Cougars 1-1.

Records:

• Western New England: 1-0-1 (0-0-0)
• Clark University: 0-1-1 (0-0-0)

How it Happened:

Diego Marin and Braylon Casinghino started the game in net for the Cougars and Golden Bears, respectively. The Golden Bears started the game quickly with a shot on goal by Hunter Perry 3:22 into the game. The teams settled into some back-and-forth action before a chance from Clark's Zachary Kratz sailed high of the net. Perry would counter with a shot that whistled wide of the net. Then, it was Clark applying more pressure on the Golden Bears, with a Mauro Perez Colon shot that went over the net. The teams kept trading possession, and neither could quite line up a clean shot. Matty Leonard tried to go for goal. However, the ball went wide in the 23rd minute. Evan Thompson lined up a shot on goal in the 29th minute for the Cougars. Casinghino had to push that away and give the Cougars a corner. That corner led to a Cougars header shot, which Casinghino saved.

Clark was really starting to turn the momentum in their own favor. The Golden Bears pushed back a little and tried to set up some plays to swing the momentum their way. However, it was not until the 36th minute that they were able to get some more momentum. Tyler Lewis had a shot blocked. Then, WNE earned a corner. However, they could not generate a shot from it. Ben Siegel would then counter with a header shot that went wide of Casinghino in the 40th minute. The game continued the back-and-forth play with Jacob Dounetos sending a shot towards Marin; however, it would go wide, as well. That would be the final piece of action for the first half, and the teams would go into the half tied 0-0. The first-half stat line was as follows. WNE led in saves 2-1 and fouls 8-3. Clark led in shots on goal 2-1. Both teams had five total shots and one corner kick.

After the halftime break, the Cougars took advantage of the momentum they built in the first half and were able to net the game's opening goal in the 48th minute. It was Lucas Saia netting the team's first goal of the season. The Golden Bears sprang into action after that, with Tyler Lewis sending a shot wide and then a shot at Marin, who parried the ball away. The Cougars weathered that storm from WNE and then saw Siegel send a shot at Casinghino, which was saved. Just over three minutes later, Siegel sent a header shot at Casinghino, which was saved. The Cougars were ramping up the pressure and looking to double their lead towards the middle of the second half. Mauro Perez Colon followed Siegel with a shot on goal in the 60th minute. Casinghino had to make another save and did. Siegel followed that with another header shot, but it went wide. The Golden Bears just could not get much momentum going. The Cougars had all of it at that moment in time. Mauro Perez Colon returned with another header shot to give the Cougars their fifth shot in a row. It was saved once again by Braylon Casinghino. The Golden Bears started to make moves forward after that shot, and it would all culminate with a goal from Keegan Reim in the 71st minute to tie the game at 1-1. Reim kept the momentum rolling for the Golden Bears with another shot in the 75th minute, which Marin had to save.

The action was really heating up with Jake Thibodeau sending a shot at Marin, which was saved. Then, Siegel countered with a shot that Casinghino had to save and did. Reim went for a second goal in the 79th minute. However, the ball went over Marin and the goal. Reim followed that up with a shot in the 82nd minute, which went wide of the net. Zachary Kratz responded in the 86th minute with a shot that Casinghino made a save on. The Golden Bears kept fighting for the win, though. Thibodeau had a header shot go wide of the net. Although both teams pushed for the game-winning goal at the end, neither team could get it, and the game ended in a 1-1 tie. The final stat line showed the Golden Bears lead in corner kicks 3-2, fouls 14-10, and saves 8-4. The Cougars led in shots on goal 9-5. Both teams had thirteen shots.

After the game, men's soccer head coach, Devin O'Neill, was asked to comment on the game. "(It was a) Hard fought tie today with 2 games in quick succession," O'Neill responded. "We showed a good bit of depth today as we utilized a lot of players, and the response was positive throughout the team." O'Neill was also asked about the goal from Keegan Reim. "Keegan's goal was exceptional and timely as it leveled the game and spurred a strong fight during the last 15 minutes of the game," O'Neill stated.

Inside the Lines:

• The men's soccer team took on Clark University on Sunday afternoon.
• The teams were scoreless at halftime.
• Lucas Saia netted the opening goal for the Cougars to give Clark the lead in the 48th minute.
• Keegan Reim equalized the score for the Golden Bears with a goal in the 71st minute.
• Diego Marin finished the game with four saves and let in one goal.
• Braylon Casinghino had eight saves and let in one goal.
• The Golden Bears and Cougars tied 1-1.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE will return home to host Wesleyan University on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at 5:00 PM.
• Clark will stay at home to host the Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards. That game will be on Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 7:00 PM.