Men’s Soccer’s Comeback Falls Short vs. UMass Dartmouth

EAST BOSTON – The Suffolk men's soccer team overcame a three-goal half-time deficit and renew its hopes of recording its first win of the season, but UMass Dartmouth knocked in back-to-back scores to defeat the Rams, 6-5, Sunday afternoon at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5, UMass Dartmouth 6
RECORDS: Suffolk (0-2-0) | UMass Dartmouth (2-0-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED
After trading goals to open the game, UMass Dartmouth poured in three move over the first 45 to take a 4-1 advantage into the locker rooms. 

Suffolk came firing out of halftime, putting in two goals to make it a 4-3 game with 39 minutes to play in regulation. Alberto Bittan's third goal of the day locked things at 4-all at the 77th-minute mark, but the Corsairs responded less than a minute later to regain the lead, 5-4. With just over five minutes to play, UMass tacked on an insurance goal to move the distance back to two goals, 6-4. With just 20 seconds remaining the Rams struck again, but the damage was already done. 

GOALS GALORE

•  UMass Dartmouth got on the scoreboard first at 15:45 thanks to taking advantage of a 4-on-3 breakaway. Matt Vidal dribbled up midfield drawing Suffolk's defense and dished over to Austin Dias on the right, who neatly put away his second goal of the season to give the Corsairs a 1-0 cushion. 
• Twenty-five seconds later the Rams responded. From the 35-yard line, Suffolk's midfield lofted the ball to a cluster right outside the net. Alberto Bittan picked up the rock and made a scoring move and equalize the game at 1-all with his third goal of the season. 
• Vidal put the visitors up  at 29-minute mark. From 12-yards on the right side, out the senior forward let the ball hang high and tucked it into the goal over Kyle Van Cleef's gloves to give the Corsairs a 2-1 edge. 
• Four minutes later, the senior forward struck against for UMass Dartmouth. This time, a breakaway on the left hand side drew Van Cleef out and Vidal sent the rock to the right side of the netting. His third goal of the season put the Corsairs out in front, 3-1, with 12:20. 
• Suffolk's deficit went to three goals with barely two minutes to play before intermission. Vidal once again played a key role in the goal as he drew the defenders to open up Cody Woods on the right. Right off the bench, Woods took advantage of his playing time and put away his first goal of the season.
• Fourty-two seconds into the second stanza, Bittan gained on a UMass Dartmouth turnover. The senior picked up a miscued Corsairs throw in and dribbled right into scoring territory where he put away his fourth goal of the season. 
• The Rams made it a one-goal at 50:59. From the left hand side 20-yard line, Clelio Lopes Alves slide a pass to an open area on the right side, where Jordan Casey sprung into the opening to pick up the pass and net his first goal of the season. Lopes Alves registered his first collegiate point  in the process.
• At the 77th minute-mark, Bittan completed his hat trick. From deep on the left side, Christian Restrepo sent a cross field, high lob to Bittan, who used his head to knot the game for the second time. 
• The new ball-game was short lived, however, as Stephan Teixeira scored on a one-on-one opportunity. Teixeira tricked Van Cleef into a slide and sent the ball into the back of the netting once the Rams' net minder was down to give UMass Dartmouth a 5-4 cushion with just under 10 minutes remaining. 
• UMass Dartmouth added added an insurance goal with just over five minutes to play. Right in front of Suffolk's net John Correia sunk in his second tally of the year to give the Corsairs a 6-4 cushion. 
• In a last ditch effort, Bittan set up Alvin Di for a final tally with 20 seconds on the clock.

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

• Kyle Van Cleef made 10 saves in his second setback of the season. 
• Luis Carranza kept his season record clean thanks to two saves. 

NOTEABLES

• Suffolk scored the most goals (5) since matching that number vs. Anna Maria October 13, 2014. 
• Bittan, who scored two-plus goals for the second straight game, is the first Ram to net a hat trick since Djibril Niang did so against the Corsairs October 28, 2014.  

COMING UP
Suffolk takes six days off before returning to the pitch when the Rams open the GNAC slate of their schedule at Albertus Magnus Saturday, Sept. 10. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.