Box Score

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Matt Koziol and Vince Bennett scored second half goals and Rob Dewald made six saves as Rensselaer defeated Union, 2-0, in a Liberty League contest at College Park. RPI has now won three straight league games and five of six contests overall to improve to 7-3-1 overall and 3-1-0 in the conference. Union falls to 7-3-0 and 0-2-0.

Both teams played evenly in the first half. Neither team gave many chances early as each team tried to possess the ball. Nick Vozzella had the first chance for the Dutchmen in the 10th minute but the shot was blocked. The Engineers immediately responded with a corner kick from Pat Noonan but the ball could not find an attacker. Entering the 25th minute, RPI's Michael Birk had a header blocked by Union to give Rensselaer another corner kick. However, the corner did not test goalkeeper Ryan Carter.

Union's Sebastiaan Jansen, the leading goal scorer in the league, got his first opportunity to test netminder Rob Dewald in the 40th minute. Jansen's shot was struck well and low but was saved cleanly. The Engineers were able to get one more chance off before halftime as Adam Updegrove tried to head the ball in. Carter was able to make the save to keep the score even.

Rensselaer immediately tested the Dutchmen defense in the second half as Tim Young had an opportunity. Once again, Carter was there to make the stop as he tipped the header shot over the net. After a Union foul in the 58th minute, Matt Koziol was able to take a 25-yard direct kick and thread it through the Dutchmen wall and past Carter for the first goal of the match.

RPI struck again in the 76th minute when Vince Bennett took advantage of a Dutchmen miscue on defense and struck the ball to the lower-left side to give the Engineers the 2-0 advantage.

Sahr Nyuma came close from putting the Dutchmen on the board as he beat Dewald to a cross but the header sailed high over the crossbar. Union could not test the Rensselaer netminder as the Engineers held on to defeat rival Union.

Dewald made six saves on the night in the win and improves to 6-2-1 while Carter made four saves and drops to 7-3. The Engineers held a slight advantage in shots 18-17 and in corner kicks 6-5.

Union will be traveling to Annadale-on-Hudson, N.Y. to take on Liberty League member Bard College Saturday, Oct. 6 beginning at 2 p.m. The Engineers will be on the road as well as they take on Rampo College in Mahwah, N.J. on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.