CAMBRIDGE - Sixth-ranked Tufts Men's Soccer scored three times within 10 minutes late in the first half and went on to a 5-0 win in their season opener at MIT on a gloomy Tuesday night.
Returning All-American
Ian Daly scored twice, including the first goal of the game. He took a long pass from
Max Cook on the right side and gently headed the ball into position for a shot, which he lofted over the goalkeeper's head to the far post where it bounced in for a 1-0 Tufts lead in the 30th minute.
Less than four minutes later, Jumbo junior
Mark Huynh sent a right corner kick directly into the far side of the goal for his first collegiate score and a 2-0 Tufts lead.
Tufts would complete its scoring burst on a penalty kick in the 39th minute. After Jumbo freshman
Mateo Bargagna was taken down in the top of the box, Daly wasted no time in blasting the PK past Engineers' keeper Paarth Desai for a 3-0 Tufts advantage at the half.
Shots were 10-1 Tufts after the first half.
Freshman
James Gunn would score in his first collegiate game to put Tufts up 4-0. After his throw-in, sophomore
Owen Denby got the ball back and slid a pass into the middle of the goal area where Gunn scored left-footed in the 73rd minute.
The fifth and final Tufts tally came when a free kick from 35 yards out put on goal by freshman Daniel Yarnez couldn't be covered up by Desai and junior
Mikey Brady was there to score on the rebound with a little more than five minutes left in the game.
Tufts sophomore
Erik Lauta made five saves in goal to record the shutout, the 11th of his young career. Desai finished with five saves for the hosts. Tufts had advantages in shots (21-7) and corners (8-5).Â
MIT, which is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll, dropped to 0-3.
The Jumbos play a huge early-season game against defending national champion Connecticut College on Saturday in their home opener at Bello Field.
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