Tufts Defeats Salem State 4-0

Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications

Salem, Mass. - On Tuesday night, Tufts University secured a 4-0 victory over Salem State at Alumni Field. The Jumbos record improved to 2-2-1, while the Vikings slipped to 4-2-1. Prior to the game, Coach Correia mentioned what his club had to do to defeat Tufts. "Patience, discipline, and toughness. We need a lot of things to go right to win tonight and we have to play our best soccer, but we are prepared for it."   

Tufts began the game with an aggressive approach, attacking the Viking zone with speed. However, Salem State was not to be underestimated, and they fought back with equal fervor, attempting to penetrate Tufts' defense. Despite their best efforts, Tufts managed to strike first, with Woovin Shin (San Jose, California) scoring on an assist from Mateo Bargagna (Atlanta, Georgia). Although Vikings' goalie Matt Hauntsman (Milford, N.H.) made the initiasl stop, Tufts ultimately added one more, with the time of the goal being 18:54 in the half on a penalty kick.

After the game, Hauntsman talked about how he was able to make some tough saves despite the outcome of the game. "You have to read the person when they come and shoot and your body will tell you if they go left or right. Based on that you can cheat a little bit so you will get ahead of it. So if they hit a hard shot, you can get there before that shot even gets there. That's one of the biggest things, just reading the play and thinking two steps ahead really helps you.  

Despite Tufts' early success, the Vikings were not deterred, and they continued to put up a valiant fight. In the final fifteen minutes of the first half, Tufts was eager to extend their lead, but Hauntsman made a stunning save, stopping their attempt to score. The Jumbos resilience in the first half was commendable, and it was clear that they were determined to win as they outshot the Vikings 11-3.    

The message at the half coach Correia told his team, "just keep fighting, stay positive and play Salem State soccer."  

In the second half, the Vikings hoped to turn the tables and redeem themselves after a tough first half. However, Tufts continued to dominate the game, controlling the Vikings' zone with ease. In the 53rd minute, Owen Denby (Salem, Mass.) attempted a shot from 21 feet, but it missed as it went just wide at the last second. 

Tufts' Ethan Feigin (Bethesda, Md.) made a valiant attempt to score the third goal of the game, but Hauntsman dived to prevent Tufts from extending their lead. However, the Jumbos eventually managed to make it a little more difficult for the Vikings, with Sean Traynor (Rye, N.Y.) scoring a goal thanks to a brilliant pass from Feign. 

Tufts managed to score on a penalty kick for the second time in the game, with Daniel Yanez (Short Hills, N.J.) taking the kick. The time of the goal was 74:31. A minute later, Tufts decided to switch goalies, with Zach Ubamdu (Chattanooga, Tenn.) replacing Nikola Antic (Waltham, Mass.). Salem State also opted for a goalie change, with Matt Ferreira (Salem, N.H.) taking over from Hauntsman. 

Coach Correia after the game mentioned that his team is going to rest and reset the body to be prepared for Saturday's conference game at home.  

Salem State will be looking to bounce back in their next game, a conference match against Framingham State at Alumni Field. Game time is at noon.