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MANSFIELD, Conn. – The Eastern Connecticut State University men’s soccer team scored twice in the first half and allowed only two shots in the second in a 3-0 victory over Salem State College on Tuesday night.

Seniors Maxim Fantl (West Hartford) and Nicholas Boretti (Marshfield, MA) scored 1:12 apart early in the first half, and sophomore Aaron Smiles (Bedford, MA) drove in a long free kick five minutes into the second half to account for all of Eastern’s scoring. Fantl scored his 40th career goal (team-leading eighth of the year) inside the far left post from the right side of the net after a long run on a sideline pass from sophomore Matt Furman (Montville) with less than 20 minutes gone, and Boretti recorded his first goal of the season when he leaped to knock in a header off Smiles’ free kick from the left side soon after.

Eastern dominated play with a 20-8 advantage in shots and a 12-3 margin in corner kicks. Sophomore Carl Appel (West Windsor, NJ) made four saves – only one in the second half – to post his 20th career win in 29 career starts.

Salem, which had a three-game winning streak snapped, had two of its best scoring chances early in the match with the game scoreless. On the first, senior Andrew Angus (Boston, MA) made a short run through the box and fired a close, left-footed shot from the left post that Appel smothered for this first save. Seven minutes later, Appel collided with Angus in the box while both raced for a loose ball, which was eventually controlled by Eastern Connecticut.

Freshman Scott Hall (Waltham, Mass), who made nine saves in goal, suffered his first loss of the season for the Vikings.

Salem State next takes on the Lancers at MCLA on Saturday at 1:00 PM.