Box Score NEW LONDON, Conn. — 

An early header by Aiden Miles (Tampa, Fla.) proved to be all the U.S. Coast Guard Academy men's soccer team needed in defeating Worcester State University on Tuesday night.

Coast Guard improves to 3-2-1, while Worcester State moves to 2-4. The Lancers will face the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (4-1-1) this Friday at 7 p.m. in MASCAC play for their next one.

Miles' goal was set up by a corner kick in the 17th minute, but it wasn't off of by the corner itself. Jake Fish (Little Silver, N.J.) played it short to Andres Villasana (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.), who sized up his defender on the right corner of the box before tapping it back to Fish. With a small running start, Fish served the ball into the far side of the box, where Miles was waiting by the left pole to gently redirect it with his noggin.

Despite a one goal lead, the Bears had little to sweat about for the rest of the night as they allowed Worcester State to take only five shots the entire game, three of which were on goal. The Lancers, meanwhile, had to work for the one-goal loss with Coast Guard firing an aggressive 19 shots, with six being on target.

The Bears also held a skewed 11-2 advantage in corner kick attempts, while the teams were more even in foul calls at a 12-9 margin. Lancer goalies Tobias Schneider and Zach Nelson combined for five saves, while man-in-net for Coast Guard Connor Hickey (South Berwick, Maine) made three saves in his third career start.

Three cards were administered during the match, with Fish getting the first of them after a rough challenge in the 53rd minute. Worcester State was awarded the other two, both coming on the same play. A chance in the 81st minute saw Villasana scrambling for the ball in the front of the Lancers' net with a visiting defender, who deterred any chance the junior midfielder had of getting to the ball by pulling his jersey. The defender was awarded a red card without question, sending the Lancers bench into a frenzy. The incensed reaction was met with a yellow card.

Bears men's soccer is back at it this Saturday, traveling to Worcester for their NEWMAC opener at Clark University (3-1). Coast Guard has won its last four meetings with the Cougars and took last season's match-up in New London with a 2-0 result. Fish recorded an assist in that one, while VIllasana scored the second goal of the match.