Firebirds Soar Past Chestnut Hill, 2-0

BOYDS, MD – The University of the District of Columbia men's soccer team earned a 2-0 non-conference victory over Chestnut Hill on Wednesday afternoon at Maryland Soccerplex.

The Firebirds (6-4-1) snapped a two-game losing streak as they scored one goal per-half on 19 total shots while playing stout defense and allowing just five shots in their first shutout victory of the season. Chestnut Hill, a member of the East Region's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, lost their second straight game and fell to 4-6-1 overall.

Sophomore defender Patrick Borchert (Business Management – Hagen, Germany/Fern Universitat Hagen) was UDC's most active offensive player with four shots, and he scored the Firebirds' first goal of the afternoon in the 16^th minute. Sophomore midfielder Nenad Smiljanic (Health Education – Barnsley, England/Barnsley College) lofted a corner kick into the box which was flicked by senior defender Atunde Akum (Health Education – Beltsville, MD/High Point HS) right to Borchert, who scored his first goal of the season to give UDC a 1-0 advantage. The Firebirds out-shot the Griffins 9-2 in the first half and took a 1-0 advantage into halftime.

Almost seven minutes into the second half, Smiljanic added a goal of his own on a direct kick from about 20 yards out for his 4^th goal of the season to give UDC a 2-0 cushion. Chestnut Hill still only managed three shots in the second half, only one of which was on goal. Junior goalkeeper Louis Connor made one save to earn the shutout victory.

UDC will enter back into East Coast Conference play on Saturday when the Firebirds visit Mercy in Dobbs Ferry, NY for a 3 p.m. kickoff. The Firebirds and Mavericks are both 2-2 in league play and both coming off victories this afternoon entering Saturday's game.