The Central Connecticut State University men’s soccer program dropped a 2-0 decision to Fairleigh Dickinson University on Thursday, Oct. 20 at Rothman Center in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Going into this game, the Blue Devils were coming off their first conference win of the season and were looking to build momentum. Unfortunately, they ran into the Northeast Conference’s top team, the Knights of Fairleigh Dickinson University.

The Knights (7-5-2 overall) started the scoring in the 28th minute when graduate student Joshua Ferreira skipped the ball past the outstretched arms of CCSU’s junior goalie Daniel Wilmore. FDU added a second goal in the 37th minute when junior defenseman Hugo Bacharach converted on a penalty kick to give the Knights a 2-0 lead in the first half.

The Blue Devils stumbled upon a couple of scoring opportunities in the final minutes of the first half but were only able to put one of those shot attempts on goal and it was stopped by the Knights senior goalkeeper Spencer King.

The Knights were able to hold onto the 2-0 lead by limiting the Blue Devils shot attempts in the second half. FDU outshot CCSU with a total of 23 shots taken to just seven for the Blue Devils. In fact, the Knights had more shots on goal (10) than the Blue Devils had in total.

With the loss, the Blue Devils fall to 3-9 overall and 1-4 in conference play. With three games left on the regular season schedule, all within the NEC, CCSU will look to finish strong. The Blue Devils are not mathematically eliminated from the postseason yet, but they will need to win out in their last three games and hope for some help to qualify for the NEC Tournament.

Up next, Central will host Stonehill College for Senior Day at Arute Field on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m.