Junior forward Chris Salvaggione recorded his seventh goal of the season |
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Charlotte topples conference foe Massachusetts 1-0
Oct. 21, 2007
Charlotte, N.C. - Behind a lone goal from junior forward Chris Salvaggione, marking his seventh of the season, the Charlotte 49ers men's soccer team (7-5-1; A:10 1-2-1) stifled Massachusetts (8-5-0; A-10: 3-1-0) 1-0 Sunday afternoon at Transamerica Field. The victory marked the first-ever conference win under first-year head coach Jeremy Gunn.
Prior to the contest, Massachusetts was ranked first in the Atlantic 10.
"It was a monumental victory for us this season," Gunn said. "Massachusetts came into the game on top of the conference and you could really see why in the first half. With their exceptional defense, they made it seem like a lackluster game."
"At the half, we talked about how we needed to disrupt them--something we hadn't done yet this year. Still, we did it fantastically."
After a scoreless first half, Salvaggione scored the contest's lone goal in the 67th minute, chipping a shot into the top right corner of the net off a pass from sophomore midfielder Luke Exley.
"Massachusetts plays identically to us, so I knew if we broke first, we could score," Salvaggione said. "We see it everyday in practice, so I knew where their weaknesses were. Eventually, we were able to capitalize and finish."
Despite enjoying a 9-7 shot advantage, Massachusetts was unable to similarly convert, allowing sophomore goalkeeper David Martin to record his fourth shutout of the season.
The 49ers return to the field this weekend when they travel to conference opponents George Washington and Richmond on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
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