Box Score
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Rui Pinheiro assisted Tufts' first goal with a long free kick
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SOMERVILLE - Tufts scored a goal in each half to give visiting Trinity its first loss of the 2013 season, 2-0, in NESCAC men's soccer action Sunday at Kraft Field. The match featured two national top 25 teams as the #23 Jumbos topped the #15 Bantams.
Tufts stopped a two-game winless and goal-less skid with the victory, improving to 5-2-1 overall and 3-2 in NESCAC. Trinity, which tied 0-0 at Bates yesterday, dropped to 6-1-1 and 3-1-1 NESCAC.
The first half didn't feature many scoring chances until late. The Bantams had the first quality opportunity of the game as Mark Perreault missed just wide on a free kick from the top-center of the 18.
The Jumbos scored first on a beautiful play. With under two minutes remaining, sophomore Rui Pinheiro launched a 35-yard free kick to the far post. Tufts junior Sam Williams beat his defender to the ball and scored on a diving header.
Shots were 5-4 Trinity in the first half, with Bantam keeper Domenic Quade and Jumbo goalie Scott Greenwood both making one save. Trinity had two corners while Tufts had none.
The action was more dramatic in the second half. Ten minutes in, Quade made a diving save of Jumbo junior Max Hoppenot's wide-open shot from the top of the box. Less than three minutes later, sophomore Connor Brown's bullet was just wide for the Jumbos.
Brown would get his goal as the half wore on. Jumbo sophomore Tal Smith was one on two with no options until Brown came sprinting down the field. Smith found Brown wide open for a one-timer finish from just inside the box in the 67th minute.
Down 2-0, Trinity looked to cut the margin in half when freshman Fernando Cuervo-Torello's shot in the box got by the keeper. However, it was blocked by recovering senior Ben Ewing, helping preserve the shutout for the Jumbos.
The Tufts defense earned its sixth shutout. The Jumbos used an 8-5 shots advantage in the second half to take the overall total 12-10. Only two of Trinity's 10 shots were on goal, with Greenwood saving both.
Quade made five saves for Trinity, including four in the second half. The Bantams had a 2-1 edge in corners.
The Jumbos are off until hosting Middlebury next Saturday at 3 pm. The Bantams play host to Bowdoin next Saturday in an 11 am start.
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