SCRANTON, Pa. – Sophomore Tyler Colton (Syracuse, N.Y./Central Square) scored the game-winning goal with just 2:14 to go and led The University of Scranton men's soccer team (2-0) to a 2-1 victory over the MIT Engineers (0-1-1) in non-conference action on Sunday afternoon at Weiss Field in Scranton.
Following a Royals' goal kick, fellow sophomore Nick Suraci (Glenwood Landing, N.Y./North Shore) flicked a ball over the top to Colton who gathered the ball and slid home a shot to the far left post past Zak Zhang. The goal was Colton's first of the season and second of his career.
Colton's clutch goal came just a minute after sophomore Charlie Smith (Devon, Pa./Conestoga) denied MIT's AZ Krebs with a save in the 87th minute. Following the goal, Peter Novoa sent a shot just wide for the Engineers in the 89th minute and Scranton held on for the 2-1 victory.
This marked the first ever meeting between the two programs.
Scranton opened the scoring just 1:54 into the contest as freshman Luke Roberto (Howell, N.J./Howell) collected a loose ball in the box after a throw in and found the back of the net for an early 1-0 advantage. MIT answered in the seventh minute as Aidan Hallinan ripped a shot from the top of the box to even things at one apiece. The two sides continued to battle for the remainder of the first half with neither team mounting much pressure offensively and things were tied 1-1 at the half.
Smith made a save in the 55th minute on a shot by MIT's Matthew Sequeira and the Engineers then had consecutive corner kicks a few minutes later, but registered just one shot. In the 78th minute, Hallinan saw his attempt sail high over the net and the game remained deadlocked at one which set the stage for Colton's eventual game-winner.
MIT held an 11-8 shot advantage in the contest and Smith made a pair of saves in net for the Royals.
Roberto registered a pair of shots to pace head coach Matt Pivirotto's team.
The Royals return to action on Saturday afternoon at Kean with action slated to get underway at 4 p.m.
--ROYALS--
