Following a disappointing scoreless draw at home against Bryant University, the UConn men’s soccer team (8-2-4, 3-1-1 Big East) secured a crucial three points in a 1-0 victory at Butler University (3-8-3, 0-5 Big East) on Saturday night.
The game was anyone’s from the beginning and was scoreless for the first 57 minutes. UConn was the more aggressive team offensively in the first 20 minutes, with nine total shots to Butler’s four.
The Huskies had a chance to score late in the first half with a bending shot to the far post by midfielder Marco Valentic. The Kirtland, Ohio native’s shot forced Butler goalkeeper Caleb Norris to make a diving save.
In the 58th minute, forward Scott Testori found the back of the net thanks to a cross from forward Eli Conway off a counterattack. The Madison, Conn. native now has three goals this season and ranks tied for second on the team in points. He and midfielder Sabri Hanni both have 10 points. Conway, a junior from Mount Olive, N.J., was credited with the assist and now leads the team in points with 11.
The Bulldogs’ best chance came in the 65th minute when midfielder Joost de Schutter sent a ball from midfield towards the right corner, where forward Henri Kumwenda was waiting. Kumwenda, a Leeds, England native, sent a hard cross to the front of the net for midfielder Sam Pitts-Eckersall, who headed it on target only for goalkeeper Max Kerkvliet to make the save.
Kerkvliet has allowed two goals in October so far and has been a “brick wall” in the net for the Huskies. The redshirt freshman from Houston, Texas recorded his seventh shutout and now has a 0.57 goals-against average and a .852 save percentage. Kerkvliet had two saves in the game, both coming in the second half.
Butler had more total shots in the second half with four to Connecticut’s two, but only two of their eight total shots were on target. UConn finished with 11 total shots, with five on the frame. All four saves for Bulldogs’ goalkeeper Norris came in the first half.
Butler was the more physical team. Despite each team committing 11 fouls, the Bulldogs had three yellow cards issued: defender Lou-Kent Bosc in the 23rd minute, Schutter in the 65th minute and defender Manolo Ferreres in the 84th minute.
“I’m proud of the group,” head coach Chris Gbandi said in a video posted on X. “I thought we did everything we needed to do to win the game. I thought we played well defensively, and then Scotty [Testori] just came up big there at the end. It was a great team effort, and I am super proud of the group.”
According to the UConn Athletics website, Saturday night’s win was the first for UConn against the Bulldogs, who now are 2-1 against the Huskies.
According to Massey Ratings, UConn is now No. 43 in the country, which places them sixth in the Big East. They are now tied with St. John’s University for second in the East Division of the Big East with 10 points. Butler has the second-worst overall record in the Big East and is one of two teams without a win in conference play, with the other being Villanova University. The Bulldogs are dead last in the Midwest Division and are the No. 130 team in the country.
Butler will remain at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl in Indianapolis for a Wednesday night bout against Xavier University.
UConn will return to Joseph J. Morrone Stadium at Rizza Performance Center on Wednesday night to host Providence College in the team’s penultimate home game before the Big East Tournament begins on Nov. 9.