WENHAM, Mass. – Suffolk men's soccer defeated Commonwealth Coast Conference opponent Gordon College 2-0 in a game that was controlled by the Rams defense at Brigham Complex Saturday afternoon. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2 | Gordon x0
RECORDS: Suffolk (9-5-3, 4-2-2 CCC) | Gordon (4-9-3, 3-5-0 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Netminder Xander Balog faced his first test of the game in the 12th minute when Gordon had a free kick from just outside the top right corner of the penalty box. The Rams' sophomore controlled the shot as it went through the middle of the defense for his first save. 

He was tested again a few seconds later when a right-footed shot was lined his direction, but Balog made a leaping save to his left to keep the game scoreless in the first half. 

Miguel Varela opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a rocket off the left foot that deflected off the Gordon goalie Gunnar Lucuk into the lower back-right corner of the net to give the Rams a 1-0 lead. 

The Fighting Scotts were awarded a penalty kick just moments later in the 29th minute, but missed the mark when Gordons' Benji Dahlke sent a shot careening off the cross bar to keep the score at 1-0 in favor of Suffolk. 

The Rams opened the scoring in the second stanza when Taj Jensen led Erik Van Even up the middle of the field for an easy right-footed shot to the top left corner of the net to double their lead to 2-0 in the 53rd minute. 

Balog and the Rams defense continued their dominant play until the final whistle to hold their advantage and secure the 2-0 victory. 

NETMINDER NOTES

• Balog stopped eight shots that came his way.
• Lucuk had two saves in the losing effort 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Varela and Van Even each netted one goal for Suffolk.
• Jensen had the lone assist on the outing.
• Gordon outshot Suffolk 15-6 with an 8-4 lead in shots on target.
• The Fighting Scotts led in corner kicks 8-5. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk remains unbeaten all-time against Gordon, 2-0-0.
• The Rams have defeated the Fighting Scotts once at home and once on the road.
• Both of the blue-and-gold's victories over Gordon have come via shutout.
• Suffolk has outscored the Fighting Scots all-time, 3-0.
• The triumph marks the eighth cleansheet of the year, which is the most shutouts in a single-season in the Bill Maddock era, upstaging the seven times the blue-and-gold kept an opponent off the scoreboard a year ago.
• The eight shutouts are a program record according to the game-by-game record book, which dates back to the 2003 season.
• Balog recorded his ninth win of the season, eight of which have been shutouts.
• Varela and Van Even produced their second goals of the season.
• Jensen's assist was his fourth on the year, good for second-best on the squad.

POST-GAME PIC
 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk heads to Salve Regina Tuesday, Oct. 25 to wrap up its regular-season slate. Game time in Newport, Rhode Island, is scheduled for 7 p.m.