The Massachusetts men’s soccer team opened up its 2024 home schedule with a tight loss against the Providence Friars. After drawing back-to-back games on the road, UMass (0-1-2) was unable to seal its first win against a talented Providence (2-0-1) side.
After a well-played first half, the Minutemen held a one-goal lead going into the break. All looked good in the second half until the 77th minute. With the Friars on the attack, graduate student Harry Scarborough delivered a precise through ball to Pepe Lora, who took advantage of a deflected shot and scored the game-winning goal to defeat UMass 2-1.
“There’s a lot to improve on. I think there were large stretches today where we played really well,” head coach Fran O’Leary said. “There are a lot of positives to be taken out of today.”
With only a couple minutes remaining, the Minutemen had opportunities to steal a point at Rudd Field. A corner kick took place in between two shot attempts from midfielder Matt Cence that couldn’t find their way into the net.
“Providence is a really talented team and there will be many [similar]-caliber teams [who] we will play against,” O’Leary said. “This is why we play these teams. We played Bryant who went to the NCAA tournament, Providence who were picked to go very high in the Big East and next, we got Yale who won the Ivy League championship. These are the games to prepare us for our conference, and the key takeaway today is that we have got to harden and bear down late.”
Although UMass led most of the game, the Friars finished higher in nearly every major statistical category, recording two more saves and three more corner kicks. The Minutemen were able to secure four shots on target compared to Providence’s three, but the Friars still finished with three more shots overall.
There was physical play throughout the game, as 22 fouls were handed out to both teams combined. The lone yellow card was given to Providence’s Bernardo Prego in the game’s 59th minute.
Coach O’Leary had high praise for his striker Alec Hughes, who scored his first goal of the season in the 31st minute. “There will be many more to follow. He’s one of the best strikers in the country,” O’Leary said. Hughes also opened up many goal scoring opportunities for UMass and put immense pressure on the Friars’ defense throughout the game. “He is great, one of the top forwards in the country, so I am ecstatic to have him back,” O’Leary said.
Defender Aidan Kelly led the Minutemen in shots with four, while also recording two shots on target. Cence dished out a gorgeous assist to Hughes on UMass’ lone goal while also creating many chances for his team. Goalkeeper Alex Geczy made an impressive save early in the second half to stop the ball from going to the bottom right corner of the net. “I feel for our players because the effort was there, the effort was outstanding,” said O’Leary. “But we have to be more acute and make smarter decisions.”
The Minutemen now hold a record of one loss and two draws to start the season, which is their worst start since 2018. However, Coach O’Leary and his team look to bounce back against a strong Yale side and take their first win of the 2024 season against the Bulldogs in New Haven on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.
Adam Kysiak can be reached at [email protected].
