Ross Suleski (Amesbury, Mass.) scored the eventual game-winning goal in the 26th minute as the Albertus Magnus men's soccer team edged the United States Coast Guard 1-0 in non-conference action on Tuesday afternoon in New Haven.
The Falcons are now 4-7 on the yearwith their third-straight win, while Coast Guard fell to 5-4-2.
Junior Lindsley Barrett (Shelton, Conn.) played a free kick into the box where he found the senior, who turned and chipped the ball into the back of the net. For Suleski, it was his second goal of the season. The assist marked Barrett's third of the year.
Senior Donato Piroscafo (Naugatuck, Conn.) played a key role in the Falcons' victory as he came up with five big saves.
Coast Guard went into the half-time break up 5-4 in shots before holding a 15-4 clip in the second half. The Bears finished the game with a 20-8 shot advantage and put just five of those shots on goal.
In the second half, Coast Guard had its looks at net. In the 54th minute, Conor Reagan flicked a pass behind him to a cutting Matt Epperly who drilled a shot at net. Piroscafo came out of the six-yard box to make the diving save to keep the Falcons' lead at one.
Later on in the contest, with less than three minutes remaining on the clock, Epperly cut through the 18-yard box and connected on a cross but Piroscafo's long reach was able to stop the ball from crossing the goal line.
Epperly and teammate John Rendon led the Bears with five shots a piece, while two of Epperly's shots were halted by Piroscafo.
Freshman Alexis Garcia (West Haven, Conn.) led the Falcons with three shots on the afternoon, including two on goal.
Coast Guard's Richie Burns made four stops in the loss.
The Falcons were held without a corner in the contest as the Bears held a 7-0 advantage in that category.
Albertus returns to the pitch on Saturday, Oct. 12 at Mount Ida College in a 1:00 p.m. contest.
