Blue Devils Score Early, Defeat Hartford 3-0

The Central Connecticut State University men's soccer team scored two goals in the first 14 minutes of play and defeated the University of Hartford, 3-0, to improve to 5-2 on the season. Freshman Taylor Morgan, sophomore Eduardo Ortiz and senior Mersad Sahanic each scored their second goal of the season to lead the Blue Devils to the victory on Tuesday afternoon in New Britain.

Junior captain Robert Cavener got the ball rolling early when he played a long through ball to Morgan within the first minute of play. The freshman forward finished the ball into the right side of the net after only 47 seconds had gone off the clock. The score marked Morgan's second goal of the year and Cavener's first assist of the season.

The Blue Devils kept on the offensive and Ortiz had a terrific look at his second goal of the season when he got behind the defense on the left side and just missed the goal in the 13th minute. One minute later he was in the same situation, but on the right side. Morgan played a brilliant ball through the defense to a streaking Ortiz, who this time finished on his opportunity to give CCSU a 2-0 lead just 14 minutes into the game.

The score stayed at two goals to none up to halftime. The Blue Devils held a slight 7-5 shot advantage at the break, while Hartford recorded two corner kicks to CCSU's zero. The Hawks' goalkeeper Luke Citriniti made no saves in the first half, while CCSU keeper Paul Armstrong was forced to stop two shots to keep the Blue Devils ahead in the opening frame.

As the second half began Hartford went on the offensive, as the Hawks outshot CCSU 15-8 in the final frame. Armstrong made two tremendous saves as the period went on and finished with eight in the match. Cavener and Sahanic teamed up to put in the final score of the game, in the 78th minute. Cavener's pass through the box was deflected by a Hartford defender and Sahanic got to the ball first. He gave Citriniti no chance to save his shot as he finished off his second goal of the year to give Central the 3-0 victory.

CCSU is now 5-2-0 on the season and will continue on the home stand with a Friday October 2 game with St. Francis (PA) at 3:00 p.m.