Moon Township, Pa. – The Robert Morris University men's soccer team snapped a four-game skid this afternoon with a 1-0 victory over Central Connecticut State University from a muddy North Athletic Complex.
While it was outshot by a 14-6 difference in the second half, Robert Morris (4-9-2, 1-4-1 NEC) made the most of its opportunities by finding the game-winner in the 70th minute. Winter Fondi earned his third shutout of the season over the final 20 minutes, making a pair of saves and a third stop before a shot could be attempted.
Fondi made his first of four saves on the afternoon in the 18th minute, gloving a free header in the box by James Randall. Central Connecticut (2-11-3, 1-4-1 NEC) continued to press in the moments after, firing off a trio of shots that missed the target over the next three minutes.
Bayley Winkel made a strong run into the box in the 33rd minute, beating a couple of Blue Devil defenders before unleashing a strike that grazed off the side netting. Winkel had another chance saved in the 41st minute as Carson D'Ambrosio came up to punch it away.
Winkel and Lucas Puntillo continued to find space in the CCSU defense as the two linked up for a dangerous scoring chance in the 52nd minute. The former found Puntillo free in the box with a one-touch pass, but the sophomore's shot was saved.
Despite the possession edge favoring the visitors, RMU continued to pick its spots and rattle the Blue Devil back line. Keane McIvor had a pair of chances in the 68th minute, first striking the crossbar with an attempt before corralling the rebound for a second shot that was gloved by D'Ambrosio.
With momentum in their favor, the Colonials found the back of the net in the 70th minute. Puntillo gathered the ball in the box and pushed it ahead to a sprinting Winkel, who then finished with a low grounder that skimmed under the goalkeeper's arms for his first goal of the season.
In the 84th minute, Fondi came out to play a free ball in the box, barely tipping it away from Alexander Hastings as the defense trailed him. Two minutes later, the junior goalkeeper got just enough of an Andres Muriel chip, tipping it off the crossbar to preserve the RMU lead.
Puntillo and Winkel combined for five of the Colonials' six shots on goal.
Robert Morris returns to non-conference action on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 3:00 p.m. when James Madison is welcomed to Moon Township. The match was rescheduled from its original Oct. 26 date due to Hurricane Matthew forcing JMU to play a conference game then.
