Box Score Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Adam Updegrove (Carson City, NV/Carson) scored the eventual game-winning goal and assisted on another as the Rensselaer men's soccer team defeated Vassar, 2-0, this afternoon in the Liberty League finale for both schools. With the win, the Engineers improve to 9-4-4 overall and 4-1-2 in the Liberty League. The Brewers fall to 8-7-1 (1-5-1 Liberty).

Rensselaer broke a scoreless tie in the 73rd minute, when junior captain Brad Shelofsky (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) played a ball into the box from 45-yards out. Sophomore Ryan Kelley (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) headed it back across the top of the six where Updegrove finished with a head into the open net. The goal was Updegrove's third of the season.

The Engineers added an insurance goal in 83rd minute as senior Liezer Esquenazi (Houston, TX/Cy-Fair) notched his second goal of the season. Updegrove earned the assist by sliding a pass across the goal mouth after making a run up the right flank. Esquenazi buried the point-blank chance for a 2-0 advantage.

Vassar was held in check offensively as the RPI defense allowed just four shots. Brewers' junior Ross Macklin (Henniker, NH/John Stark Regional) and senior Ben Scaglione (Elizabethtown, NY/Elizabethtown Lewis) each had cracks at goal in the 64th minute, but Macklin's try was stopped by Engineers' senior goalie Alex Penny (Northport, NY/Northport) and Scaglione's was cleared off the line by the RPI defense.

Neither team produced a shot on goal in a tightly contested opening 45 minutes. The Engineers' held a 4-1 shot advantage at the half, as well as a 4-1 edge in corner kicks.

Penny finished with one save to earn his ninth shutout. Vassar freshman keeper Ryan Grimme (Gahanna, OH/Gahanna Lincoln) stopped all four shots he faced before he was sent off in the 64th minute. Classmate Alex Egan (San Diego, CA/Mount Carmel) took the loss, making one save over the final 27 minutes.

Rensselaer is back in action on Wednesday, when it visits area-rival Union in the semifinals of the Liberty League Tournament (TBD).