While Wednesday afternoon featured a respite from intraleague play for men’s soccer, it also marked the return of a in-state competitor. The Coast Guard Academy Pride (4-4-1) of the New England Men’s and Women’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) visited Wesleyan for a 4 p.m. match, only to be beaten back to New London by the red hot Redbirds with a 2-0 defeat.

Wesleyan seemed in control from the start of the contest. The Cardinals managed eight shots in the first half to the Pride’s two, and received contributions on defense from co-captain Harrison Lewin ’12 and Spencer Tanaka ’15. However, Wesleyan was unable to convert, and by the time the whistle was blown the score remained at nil-nil.

Yet, as the second half commenced, the Cardinals maintained their focus and the chips began to fall. In the 58th minute, forward Evan Hazelett ’13 ripped a promising shot toward Coast Guard’s lower right corner, which the diving goalkeeper Richie Burns knocked out of bounds. Forward Noah Schlesinger ’13 followed with a smartly placed corner kick that midfielder Rory O’Neill ’13 headed into the right side of the net. O’Neill now paces Wesleyan with four goals on the season.

The 80th minute saw the Cards augment their lead, as defender Cabell Maddux ’13 found Hazelett with a long pass midway through the offensive zone on the left. Hazelett ran the ball deep toward the left corner of Coast Guard’s side of the field before turning and feeding fellow forward Walter Rodriguez ’13, who headed the ball into the left side of the net for his third goal of the season.

The 2-0 result was the mark of another team effort for Wesleyan. The Cardinal offense was a commanding presence on the day, outshooting Coast Guard by a 24-9 margin, while the back four was effective in both thwarting Pride advances and setting up counter-attack opportunities. Over nine games this season, Wesleyan has held opponents scoreless in seven matches and outscored opponents 13-3.

The Cardinals currently sport a 7-0-2 overall record and rank as the 11th NCAA Division III men’s squad in the nation. Stay tuned for Wesleyan’s return to NESCAC play as the Bates Bobcats (0-5-0) venture to Middletown at noon on Saturday in search of their first victory.

About Drew Hudson

Drew Hudson grew up in the heart of basketball country, Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a huge basketball and football fan, but also loves golf, tennis, and the occasional baseball or hockey game. Drew also loves poetry, Cocoa Puffs, walks on the beach, rap music, and reading a good book in his Snuggie. His sports idols are Tyler Hansbrough, Steve Smith, Sean May, Baron Davis, and Julius Peppers. Drew one day hopes to write for the sports section of a major newspaper or sports network.