Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Sophomore Mazen Aljari (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) scored twice in the opening 11 minutes and the University of Southern Maine Huskies went on to defeat the visiting Rhode Island College Anchormen 3-0 in Little East Conference men's soccer action Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at Hannaford Field.
The win snapped a four-game losing skid for the Huskies who finish the season with a 5-13-0 overall mark, and a 2-5-0 record in LEC play. The Anchormen dropped their fourth straight game to finish the campaign 4-13-1 and 2-5-0 in conference play. Neither team will advance to the four-team LEC championship tournament that begins Wednesday.
Aljari put the Huskies on the board 78 seconds into the match getting around the Anchormen back line and beating sophomore goalkeeper Christopher Duarte (Cumberland, R.I.) for his 10th goal of the season.
Just over nine minutes later, Aljari was the recipient of a pass from the left end line by freshman Harrison Hall (Kennebunkport, Maine/Kennebunk) and deposited his second goal of the match into the top of the net. Aljari's 11 goals on the season are the most by a USM player since Sinisa Bajic tallied 11 times in 2007.
The Huskies added an insurance goal in the 53rd minute as freshman Kevin Deignan (Pepperell, Mass./Bishop Guertin) took a pass classmate Ahmed Bin Afif (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) down the left side and beat Duarte for his first collegiate goal.
USM senior goalkeeper Jeremy Turner (Portland, Maine/Deering) recorded two saves to earn his fifth shutout of the season. Duarte registered one save for RIC.
Southern Maine had a 12-8 advantage in shots while Rhode Island College held a 5-3 edge in corner kicks.
Prior to the start of the match, the Huskies honored their four departing seniors. In addition to Turner, back Josh Rossetti (West Bath, Maine/Morse) and midfielders Devon Grant (Dexter, Maine/Dexter Regional) and Ryan Dube (Belmont, N.H./Bishop Brady) were recognized in pregame ceremonies.
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