University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Blank No. 6 Maryland, 2-0
10/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
STORRS, CT (OCTOBER 12) – A first half goal from Damani Ralph (Kingston, Jamaica) lifted No. 7 University of Connecticut men’s soccer team past No. 6 University of Maryland, 2-0, at Morrone Stadium on Saturday evening. The non-conference game raised the Huskies overall record to 10-2-0, while Maryland fell to 9-3-0.
With the first half played evenly by both squads, the Huskies ended up with the 1-0 advantage at the half. Leandro de Oliveira (Sao Paulo, Brazil) sent a back-footed lateral pass to Cesar Cuellar (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) about 30-yards from the end line. Cuellar sent the ball forward to Damani Ralph (Kingston, Jamaica), who took a left-footed high shot to the opposite corner of the goal at the 29:59 mark. The tally was his team-leading 11th of the season, and fifth game-winner of the year. Maryland’s best chance of the half came at the 22:30 mark of the half, a point blank range shot from Jason Garey which UConn keeper Adam Schuerman (Brookfield, WI) kicked away for the save.
UConn added an insurance goal 3:49 into the second half. Cuellar fed the ball forward and farther left to de Oliveira, who moved past Maryland defender Clearance Goodson. De Oliveira chipped the ball to the far side of the goal as Terrapin keeper Noah Palmer came out to make the dive.
The game was an equally matched by both teams, with the momentum shifting throughout the field. Schuerman netted five saves in goal for his sixth shutout of the season, while Palmer stopped six shots on goal.
Connecticut will host in-state rival No. 23 nationally ranked Yale University on Wednesday, October 16 at 7:00 pm at Morrone Stadium.
