PIONEERS GET FIRST WIN IN 4-0 SHUTOUT AT VERMONT
SHUTOUT STREAK REACHES 259 MINUTES AS DEFENSE STAYS STRONG
The Western Mass Pioneers picked up their first win of the 2010 campaign with a sharp 4-0 win against the Vermont Voltage Saturday night in St. Albans. Held scoreless in its first two matches of the season, the Pioneers offense revved it up by scoring two goals in each half to post the win.
Co-captain Federico Molinari started the scoring in the second minute of action as he broke through on the left side then found the bottom right corner of the goal for the early lead and momentum. He narrowly missed a few minutes later with his head after a cross from Robert Cavener found Molinari at the back post but sending the shot inches over the crossbar.
Wilbraham's Greg Balicki would set up the Pioneers second goal with a steal at midfield. After picking off a Vermont pass, Balicki would find teammate Chris Stoker, who in turn would dish it off to a streaking Justin Brewer. Brewer's left footed shot was well hit from fifteen yards out finding the upper left corner and extending the Western Mass lead to 2-0 at the sixteen minute mark.
The lead would go to 3-0 at the 74' when Western Mass would catch Vermont pushing forward, then counter attacking with a few swift passes and midfielder Cavener finishing the play with a strike into the lower right corner of the Vermont goal.
All-American forward Yuri Moreira from Wheaton College would cap the scoring off for the Pioneers with a penalty shot in the 90', after he was taken down trying to sidestep a Vermont defender deep in the Voltage zone.
Just as impressive as the offense of the Pioneers played, the defense continued to be rock solid. Playing without Co-captain Jay Willis in the lineup, the young defense of former Amherst HS star Evan Coleman, UMass center back Andrew Henshaw, Ludlow's Michael Adam, and Central Connecticut's Eddie Floyd worked well in front of goalie Shane Curran-Hays (UMass) to post the team's second straight shutout and extend the unscored upon streak to 259 minutes.
Willis was injured a week earlier against MPS Portland and is nursing a muscle pull. Forward Chris Roswess missed his second consecutive game due to the ankle bruise he received in the opener against Albany. Both are questionable for this weekend as the team travels to Brooklyn Friday night for an 8pm match against the Brooklyn Knights, then head north of the border for a Sunday matinee against the Ottawa Fury. The Pioneers return home to Lusitano Stadium on Saturday, June 5 at 7pm for a divisional matchup with rival New Hampshire.
