WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (September 20, 2025) – WNE traveled to West Hartford, CT, in search of its second conference win of the season. Jack Leland's 11th-minute goal got WNE off to a strong start and gave them an early 1-0 lead. However, Hartford scored in the 59th and 60th minutes to send them past WNE, 2-1.
Records:
- Western New England: 2-6-0 (1-1-0)
- University of Hartford: 3-2-1 (1-1-0)
How it Happened:
First Half
- Braylon Casinghino and Ryan Lunn started in goal for WNE and Hartford, respectively.
- The teams would trade goal-scoring opportunities in the early minutes of the game.
- Cole Casinghino had the first shot on goal for WNE, which Lunn saved.
- Jack Leland struck for WNE in the 11th minute of the game. Leland found the top-left corner of the goal to gift WNE the 1-0 early lead.
- The teams would trade possession back and forth for a while, with WNE have the bulk of the chances.
- After the quick start, the game settled down, and WNE had the lone shot after the 20th minute at the 43rd minute. Ben Riley had a shot saved by Lunn.
- At halftime, WNE had more shots, 6-1, shots on goal, 4-0, and corner kicks, 2-1. Hartford had more saves, 3-0, and fouls, 6-5.
Second Half:
- The second half was a different story from the first.
- The energy shift was apparent after the first half. Hartford applied immediate pressure with a shot on goal in the 47th minute, then a corner, and finally another shot in the 48th minute.
- WNE would get a lone corner, but Hartford answered with a shot and a corner.
- Then, in the 59th minute, Hartford struck with a Jared Noble goal, which crashed into the top right corner of the goal. Brayden Tahiliani was credited with the assist.
- A minute and ten seconds later, Nick Castrovinci found the bottom of the net off an assist from Austin Murawski, following a counterattack from Hartford, and they had taken a 2-1 lead.
- WNE's energy returned after that as they immediately had a shot saved by the Hartford defense and then another saved by Lunn.
- They kept up the pressure as they sent another shot at Lunn soon after the previous shot.
- Hartford would counter, but then WNE had eleven shots in a row to end the game. They sent shot after shot at Lunn, but each shot was either saved, blocked, or forced wide.
- WNE would fall to Hartford 2-1.
Inside the Lines:
- Hartford dropped WNE on Saturday afternoon.
- Jack Leland scored the opening goal for WNE in the 11th minute.
- Jared Noble equalized in the 59th minute off an assist from Brayden Tahiliani.
- Nick Castrovinci gave Hartford the lead after an Austin Murawski assist. Hartford led 2-1 in the 60th minute.
- WNE led the game in shots 21-7, shots on goal 14-3, and corners 6-4.
- Both teams had seven fouls, and Hartford had more saves, 13-1.
Coach's Corner:
Coach
Devin O'Neill gave a comment after the 2-1 loss. "Disappointing result but very spirited performance. Making just enough mistakes to make us vulnerable," O'Neill commented.
Up Next on the Schedule:
- WNE will have the week off as they prepare for Nichols College on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at noon. That game will be played in Dudley, Massachusetts.