Arling Lifts Men’s Soccer over Hartford in Double OT, 2-1

Friday, October 30

Durham, N.H.

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

10-3-3, 3-2-1AE

University of Hartford

4-7-5, 0-4-2AE

OT 3

OT 4

HARTFORD

New Hampshire

Photo by: Greg Greene

10/30/2015 10:38:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Freshman forward Chris Arling (Windham, N.H.) scored in the 108^th minute of play to lift the University of New Hampshire men's soccer team to a 2-1 win over the University of Hartford Friday night on Senior Recognition Night. With the win, the Wildcats clinched a spot in the America East Championships.

The victory puts the Wildcats a 10-3-3 overall on the year and 3-2-1 in conference play. The loss dropped the Hawks to 4-7-5 overall and to 0-4-2 in league play. Senior Fazal Nabi (Portland, Maine) also scored for the Wildcats in the game.

Arling's goal came as he gained control of the ball near midfield and turned on the jets. In a footrace with a Hartford defender, Arling beat him and played the ball past Hawks' netminder David MacKinnon. The tally came in the 108^th minute of double-overtime.

The Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute of play as Javoni Simms registered the goal. Simms received the ball that split the defense and Simms corralled. He then fired a shot that beat Wildcat netminder Andrew Pesci (Windham, N.H.) to his left.

The Wildcats nearly got on the board in the 21^st minute of play when Nabi ripped a shot at the Hartford net, but it skidded just wide to the right side.

The Wildcats had a pair of golden opportunities in the 31^st minute, the first of which came from Arling. Arling used his speed to his advantage as he gained possession along the left side of the field. Arling blazed down the sideline, passing the defenders and ripped a shot with his left foot that went inches from the post and wide. Wingate had the second opportunity in the same minute as he fired a rocket at the net from the top of the 18-yard box, but his shot was just wide left.

At the end of the first half, the Hawks held a 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats stepped up the pressure in the opening minutes of the second half, pummeling Hartford with shots. Arling tallied a pair of shots in the 46^th and 47^th minutes of play that went just wide. In the 49^th minute Nabi notched his third goal in the last two games to level the score at 1-1. The play came when junior co-captain Chris Wingate (Hovik, Norway) forced a turnover inside the Hartford half and dished the ball to Nabi at the top of the box. He then ripped a shot low and to the right that found the back of the net.

Each team kept trying to pull ahead, however each goalkeeper would not allow a goal for the rest of regulation. The Wildcats outshot the Hawks by a tally of 9-6 in the second half.

The Wildcats nearly put the game away in the 99^th minute of play with a well orchestrated attack. Arling carried the ball down the right side of the field and played a pass across the pitch to senior co-captain Andrew Chaput (Manchester, N.H.). Chaput played the ball to Wingate who returned the pass to Chaput. Chaput played a one-time at the net, but it went just high of the crossbar.

After Arling's goal in the 108^th minute, the 'Cats prevailed with the 2-1 win. In total, UNH outshot Hartford by a tally of 17-15. Pesci recorded his third win of the season and improved to 3-0-0 as he made a career-high six saves. MacKinnon's record fell to 4-7-5 as he made four saves on six shots faced.

The Wildcats return to the pitch for the regular season finale on Wednesday, Nov. 4 as they host the University of Vermont at 7 p.m. on Operation Hat Trick night. After Wednesday's game, UNH will learn what seed it will have for the America East Championships.

For more information on men's soccer, visit www.UNHWildcats.com.