EAST BOSTON – Suffolk men's soccer pulled the curtain back on its home schedule in cleansheet fashion as freshman keeper Nathan Harlow made five stops in his collegiate debut and Matthew Belluardo netted the lone goal of the Saturday afternoon non-conference clash at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1 | Salem State 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-0-0) | Salem State (1-1-0) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Belluardo broke open the score 20:32 into the action as he headed a Tommy Handelsman through in into his first goal of the season. 

The sophomore's strike early in the opening stanza proved to be the difference as Harlow took care of business in between the pipes turning aside all five shots he faced, all of which came in the second half, to lock up the win for the Rams.  

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

• Harlow had five saves in the shutout. 
• Jonathan Chasse stopped seven attempts in the setback.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Belluardo recorded the only goal in the outing. 
• Handelsman had the lone assist. 
• Suffolk out shot Salem State, 15-5, including an 8-5 edge in shots on target. 
• The Rams had four corner kicks compared to the Vikings one. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Salem State met for the first time. 
• The Rams begin the season 2-0-0 for the second straight season. 
• Suffolk started its home schedule in the win column for the fourth consecutive campaign.
• The blue-and-gold has never lost a home debut in the Bill Maddock era. 
• Suffolk shutout a foe in its first game in front of Ram Nation since it blanked Mass. Maritime Sept. 1, 2021. 
• The cleansheet was a first for the blue-and-gold since it kept then-No. 23 Endicott off the scoreboard in the CCC Semifinals Nov. 2, 2022. 
• Harlow made his collegiate debut. 
• Belluardo put away his sixth collegiate goal. 
• Handelsman had his eighth career assist.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk takes its talents to Babson Tuesday, Sept. 5 for a 7 p.m. battle.