SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Sophomore
Diogo Charraz and junior
London Abbott scored their first collegiate goals 2:07 apart in the second half to lift the Union College men's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Clark University in non-conference action on Friday night at College Park Field.
In the teams' first meeting in 51 years, Union (1-1) controlled play for much of the evening, doubling up Clark (1-1) in shots by a 14-7 margin and holding an almost 2-for-1 edge in possession. The Garnet Chargers also took 10 corners to Clark's four in earning their first victory of the season.
The first half featured plenty of possession but not many scoring opportunities, with the Garnet Chargers taking four shots to the Cougars' two. Play opened up considerably in the second half, with Union firing 10 shots toward the Clark net and Clark taking five shots.
The match remained scoreless until the 72nd minute when Charraz, who had come on as a substitute less than two minutes earlier, took a through ball from junior
Logan Weitzmann inside the 18-yard box and slotted the ball into the lower-right netting for the game's first goal and his first career tally.
Union continued its surge by doubling its lead just 127 seconds later. After some possession in the offensive third, sophomore
Gavin Blake cut back toward the top of the box and laid off the ball to Abbott at the penalty spot, who used a quick touch before a strike into the lower-left corner of the net for the first goal of his collegiate career.
Nine players recorded at least one shot for the Garnet Chargers, led by first-year
Jack Dorsey with four attempts. First-year
Michael Karcher made one save to pick up his first collegiate win and first collegiate shutout for the home team.
Union will return to action on Sunday with a 1 p.m. match against Westfield State University at College Park Field.
