Box Score
Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Powered by goals from three different players, including a penalty kick from senior Lincoln Field, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's soccer team defeated Utica College, 3-1, to extend its nine-game unbeaten streak. The sixth-ranked Engineers are now 8-0-1 overall, while the Pioneers drop to 3-5-0 on the season.

Senior captain Field (Contoocook, NH/Hopkinton) put Rensselaer on the board early, scoring his team-leading fifth goal of the season, off a penalty kick in the first minute. The Pioneers were called for the foul against RPI midfielder Tom Kelly (Shrewsbury, England/Shrewsbury School), which set up the penalty kick for the Engineers at 1:40.

Kelly made it a two-goal advantage for Rensselaer in the 10th minute after he one-touched a deflected ball into the top left corner of the net. Senior Sean Fleury (Princeton, MA/Wachusett Regional) set up the goal after his cross was touched by a Utica defender and bounced out to Kelly for the goal at 10:20.

A penalty kick opportunity got Utica on the board in the 39th minute. Junior defender Nathan Broedel (Hamilton, NY/Hamilton) pulled the visitors to within one after he sent a quick shot to the left side past Engineers netminder Alex Penny (Northport, NY/Northport)

Rensselaer, which held a commanding 7-1 advantage in shots through the first half, continued to keep the pressure on in the second stanza. The home team grabbed the 3-1 advantage in the 51st minute on nifty rebound shot by Fleury.

Set up at the top right corner of the box, Kelly sent a shot in to the left side, which was tipped out by Utica goalie Kevin Murphy (West Islip, NY/West Islip). Unable to get a handle on the rebound, Fleury was there to bury the shot and secure the two-goal advantage.

Murphy stopped three shots in the loss to fall to 3-5-0 on the season, while Penny was forced to make just one save on the evening. He allowed just his second goal of the season in seven games played.

The Engineers held a 14-2 advantage in shots for the game, while the Pioneers had a slight edge in corners, 5-4.

Rensselaer returns to the pitch on October 9 and 10, when it hosts Liberty League foes Union (4pm) and Skidmore (2pm), respectively, on Renwyck Field. Utica is back in action this Saturday and Sunday when it travels to Empire 8 rivals St. John Fisher and Alfred, respectively. Both games begin at 1pm.