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Men’s Soccer: Huskies get important three points from Butler

Posted on by L. Dreeye
Men’s Soccer: Huskies get important three points from Butler

The UConn men’s soccer team (8-2-4, 3-1-1 Big East) scored the deciding three points in a 1-0 win over Butler University (3-8-3, 0-5 Big East). East”) on Saturday evening. . Photo courtesy of @uconnmsoc/Instagram

After a disappointing scoreless draw at home against Bryant University, the UConn men’s soccer team (8-2-4, 3-1-1 Big East) scored the decisive three points in a 1-0 win over Butler University (3-8 -1). 3, 0-5 Big East) on Saturday night.

The game was a draw from the start and scoreless for the first 57 minutes. YUKON was the more aggressive team offensively in the first 20 minutes, with just nine shots to Butler’s four.

The Huskies had a chance to score late in the first half on midfielder Marko Valentic’s shot to the far post. The Kirtland, Ohio native’s shot forced Butler goalkeeper Caleb Norris to make a diving save.

In the 58th minute, striker Scott Testori scored thanks to a cross from striker Eli Conway following a counter-attack. The Madison, Conn. native now has three goals on the season and ranks second on the team in points. He and midfielder Sabri Hanni have 10 points each. Conway, a junior from Mount Olive, New Jersey, was credited with an assist and now leads the team in points with 11 points.

The Bulldogs’ best chance came in the 65th minute when midfielder Jost de Schutter sent the ball from midfield into the right corner, where striker Henri Kumwenda was waiting. Kumwenda, a native of Leeds, England, fired a powerful cross into the net for midfielder Sam Pitts-Eckersall, who headed it home but goalkeeper Max Kerkvliet was able to save it.

Kerkvliet allowed two goals in October and became a brick wall for the Huskies. The redshirt freshman from Houston, Texas, recorded his seventh shutout and now has a 0.57 goals-against average and .852 save percentage. Kerkvliet made two saves in the game, both coming in the second half.

Butler had more shots in the second half, four to Connecticut’s two, but only two of its eight shots were on target. UC finished with 11 shots, five of which were on frame. All four of Bulldogs goalkeeper Norris’ saves came in the first half.

Butler was the more physical team. Despite each team committing 11 fouls, the Bulldogs were issued three yellow cards: to defender Lu-Kent Bosc in the 23rd minute, to Schutter in the 65th minute and to defender Manolo Ferreres in the 84th minute.

“I’m proud of the group,” head coach Chris Gbandi said in a video posted on X. “I thought we did everything we needed to do to win the game. I thought we played good defense and then Scotty (Testori) just came through at the end. It was a great team effort and I’m very proud of it.”

Saturday’s win was UConn’s first over the Bulldogs, who are now 2-1 against the Huskies, according to the UConn Athletics website.

UC is currently ranked 43rd in the country, according to Massey Ratings, which puts it sixth in the Big East. They are now tied with St. John’s University for second place in the Big East East Division with 10 points. Butler has the second-worst overall record in the Big East and is one of two teams without a win in conference play, the other being Villanova University. The Bulldogs are ranked last in the Midwest Division and are the No. 130 team in the country.

Butler will remain at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl in Indianapolis for Wednesday night’s fight against Xavier University.

UConn returns to Joseph J. Morrone Stadium at the Rizza Performance Center on Wednesday night to host Providence College in the team’s penultimate home game before the Big East Tournament begins on Nov. 9.