Box Score NEW LONDON, Conn. – A goal in the 85th minute by junior Shay Neary gave Endicott a 1-0 non-conference win over Coast Guard.
With the loss the Bears fall to 1-7-0 on the season while the Gulls improve to 5-1-1.
It was a slow start to the half for Coast Guard but midway through the period the Bears were on the counter with sophomore Ryan Dandan dribbling down the right side. Dandan sent a ball to the back post to senior Ricky Davies who sent a one touch shot towards goal. His shot however, went high and out of play.
Coast Guard was back on the attack shortly after when junior Brad McNell faked a cross on the left side and beat his defender to the touch line. McNell sent a hard cross to the front post, but before the ball could reach a teammate it was cleared away by a lunging Endicott defender.
The second half continued to be a defensive game as neither team could find a good opportunity early on.
The Bears had the first chance of the period when freshman Noah Harper hit a driven ball to the far post from the right side. Davies met the cross, but his shot went wide.
Coast Guard then gave Gull's goalie junior Nick Weinstein his toughest test of the night as he had to come rushing off his line to slide in on a dribbling senior Lukas Benedetto. The ball squirted away from Weinstein which gave Benedetto time to recover the ball. Benedetto attempted a cross but was unable to find a teammate and the ball was cleared out of danger by the Endicott defense.
The Gull's had the next chance of the half as sophomore Diego Maillo beat his defender at the top of the box and took a hard, low shot on goal that just slipped past the outside of the right post.
The game looked headed to overtime when senior Diego Slobotzky split two Coast Guard defenders with a pass to senior Shintaroh Itoh on the left side. Itoh sent a cross to the far post and found Neary who buried a one touch shot for his first of the year with just under six minutes left in the game and proved to be the game winner.
Sophomore Jake Sorenson made three saves on four shots on goal facing a total of 11 shots. His record drops to 1-4 on the season.
Junior Nick Weinstein posted his fifth shutout of the season facing four shots, one on goal, and making one save. His record on the season is now 5-1-1.
The Bears are back in action this Saturday, September 26th, when they host the Clark Cougars in NEWMAC competition. Kickoff is 12:00.
