Vikings Shutout Falcons 2-0

SALEM, MASS. –  Gabriel Meireles (Everett, Mass.) scored a goal and an assist as Salem State remained unbeaten in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) with a 2-0 win over Fitchburg State on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field. The Vikings raise their record to 9-1-1 and are now 3-0-1 in conference. The Falcons slide to 4-6 and 1-3 in the MASCAC.

Gus Savage (Georgetown, Mass.) made his first start in goal for Salem State as the two teams played a scoreless first half. The Vikings held a 6-1 advantage in shots, but neither team was able to establish itself on offense.

The stalemate continued in to the second half until Meireles took a pass from Igor Caldas (Victoria, Brazil) in the 71^st minute and carried the ball inside the box where the freshman beat keeper Branton Abbett (Jasper, Ind.) with a shot to the lower right. Just over a minute later, Edwin Demoya (Salem, Mass.) increased the lead to 2-0 when he slipped a shot past Abbett off a feed from Meireles.  

Christopher Jimenez (Nashua, N.H.), who replaced Savage after halftime, kept the shutout in tact as the Vikings' defense played a strong game, limiting Fitchburg State to just three shots on goal.

Salem State held a 13-3 advantage in shots and a 15-3 edge in corners for the game. Savage and Jimenez combined for three saves while Abbett stopped four shots for the Falcons.