EAST BOSTON – Rain poured from start to finish, but it was no match for Suffolk men's soccer as it opened the 2021 campaign and the Bill Maddock era with an impressive 4-0 cleansheet over Mass. Maritime Wednesday night at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | Mass. Maritime 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (1-0-0) | Mass. Maritime (0-1-0) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The weather conditions did not hold up Suffolk's scoring as it started right from the get go when Miguel Varela potted the rock less than three minutes into the action. Declan Mee raced down the left-hand side of the field, sent a pass in from the 10-yard line to Varela, who finished in falling-down fashion. The freshman's first collegiate goal was the only strike in the first set of 45 minutes to send Suffolk into the half ahead 1-0.  

As rain continued to pummel Eastie, the Rams kept pouring in the points.  

Erik Van Even cruised past Buccaneers defenders to set up a breakaway and looked to have a chance, but Mitch Hardy punched out the freshman's shot at the eight-yard line to set up a Suffolk corner. Nigel Leo's corner kick flew perfectly into the box, found Dai Podziewski waiting for a picture-perfect header that doubled the hosts lead 10 minutes out of the half time.  

Varela put away his second goal away 17 minutes later when he cut into the box at just the right time to tap the ball into the net off Edward Abouzeid's throw in from the right side 12-yard line. Hardy made a leaping attempt, but caught the ball behind the line, which made it a 3-0 Suffolk score in the 68th minute.

The final strike came with just over 10 minutes left. Another Rams throw in enter Mass. Maritime's zone, but this time met a Buccaneers player. When the ball bounced back towards midfield, Jack Phelps picked up the pieces and booted the ball hard from the 10-yard line. Hardy's gloves looked to graze the bottom of the ball, but it was too high, but just high enough to land in the upper right of the netting for the final 4-0 margin. 

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

• Xander Balog turned aside all five shots he faced in between the pipes. 
• Hardy stopped two of the six shots he saw.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Varela finished with a four-point effort on a pair of goals. 
• Phelps and Podziewski each produced one goal apiece. 
• Abouzeid, Leo and Mee all handed out one assist. 
• Despite the score, Mass. Maritime out shot Suffolk, 12-10. 
• The Rams held the edge in shots on goal, 6-5, and corner kicks, 4-2.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk opened the Bill Maddock era. 
• The blue-and-gold faced Mass. Maritime for the fourth time and fourth straight season in game one. 
• The Rams won their season opener for the first time since 2017. 
• Suffolk has locked up a victory in game one of the season in shutout fashion now five times since 2002. Four of those five cleansheets have come on Suffolk's home pitch. 
• Tonight's season-opening shutout is the first time the Rams blanked an opponent on opening-day since 2007 when it recorded a 5-0 decision over Eastern Nazarene. 
• Behind the win, Suffolk is now 7-2-0 when opening the curtain on its campaign in front of its home crowd since 2002. 
• Suffolk improved to 2-1-1 when playing the Buccaneers in game one since 2002. 
• The Rams blanked Mass. Maritime for the first time dating back to 2002. 
• The cleansheet is Suffolk's first since a 1-0 decision over Mitchell Oct. 14, 2019.
• Varela is the first Ram to find the back of the net twice in a single outing since Sunjoon Tenorio was responsible for both Suffolk goals in a 2-1 triumph over Regis Oct. 12, 2019.
• Podziewski produced the first goal of his collegiate career. 
• Lego notched his first point in a blue-and-gold jersey. 
• Varela, Phelps and Abouzeid recorded their first collegiate points. 
• Balog made his collegiate debut in net.  
• Mee handed out the third assist in his collegiate career, first since setting-up one score against Emmanuel Oct. 6, 2018.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk has a hectic weekend ahead with back-to-back battles in East Boston. The Rams entertain Westfield State Saturday, Sept. 4 in game two of a Suffolk soccer doubleheader at 3 p.m., before welcoming Lasell to East Boston Memorial Park Sunday, Sept. 5 for a 12 p.m. kick-off.