Box Score (Fairfield, CT) – The Sacred Heart Men's Soccer team won its home opener, beating Columbia 1-0 behind a late second half goal by Jamal Vinson (Teaneck, NJ). The freshman registered his first career goal on a header off a throw in by Evan Kennedy (Newtown, CT) in the 77th minute.
The Pioneers nearly took an early lead in the second minute, but Ronaldo Viera (Farmington, MA) hit the near-side post coming down the left wing on the break. The skies opened after that and both teams trudged through a scoreless first half in the pouring rain.
With two minutes to go in the first half, Marcello Castro (Panana, Brazil) made a brilliant defensive play to keep the game scoreless. With SHU goalkeeper Tucker Hackett (Madison, CT) committing forward towards the top of the box on a 50/50 ball against Columbia's on-charging forward Olamide Omidele, Castro raced from midfield to get near the goal line and head away Omidele's header over Hackett and targeted for the vacated goal.
Hackett made his best save of the game in the 66th minute, cutting down the angle to make a sliding save on Omidele, who once again burst into the box for another opportunity denied. Hackett also stopped a header from in tight by Brendan O'Hearn in the 75th minute. Two minutes later, the Pioneers went up for good on Kennedy's goal.
Sacred Heart improves to 2-0 on the year and is next in action Wednesday night at Campus Field when the Pioneers host Holy Cross at 7:00 pm.
