BOX SCORE

When and Where: October 24, 2015 – Manchester, N.H. (Larkin Field)
Score: Merrimack College 2, No. 2 Southern New Hampshire University 0
Records: Merrimack 11-2-2 (7-2-2 Northeast-10), SNHU 13-1 (10-1 Northeast-10)

Second-ranked Southern New Hampshire University suffered its first defeat of the 2015 season on Saturday, as Merrimack College earned a 2-0 victory over the Penmen in Northeast-10 Conference men's soccer action at Larkin Field. SNHU is now 13-1 overall and 10-1 in league play while the Warriors up their record to 11-2-2 and 7-2-2 in the NE-10.

Mattia Lanzi put Merrimack ahead for good just under 26 minutes into the contest on his third goal of the season. The Warriors sent in a corner kick that was headed by a Penmen defender to the top of the box. Lanzi volleyed a shot that made its way through a congested penalty area and just inside the right post to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Merrimack added an insurance goal less than two minutes into the second when Augusto Silva found the back of the net. The ball made its way back to Southern New Hampshire senior goalkeeper Nick Zucco (Ludlow, Mass.) by way of a teammate, and a charging Jaime Cortes Torres knocked down his clearing attempt. Cortes Torres settled the ball, turned and found Silva 10 yards out in front of an open goal, and he converted the opportunity to make it 2-0 at 46:56.

The Penmen carried the majority of play during the remainder of the second half, as they generated eight shots and four corner kicks after Silva's score compared to the Warriors' one shot and one corner kick. Merrimack goalkeeper Cody Russell made three saves, including two from point-blank range late in the second half to earn the victory.

Notes:
 - Friday's setback marked the first time Southern New Hampshire has lost at Larkin Field since Sept. 8, 2013 (776 days). The Penmen were unbeaten in their previous 34 home games.
 - SNHU had also been unbeaten in its previous 18 matches dating back to a double-overtime loss to Le Moyne College on Oct. 25, 2014 (364 days). Friday was the Penmen's first Northeast-10 setback in 14 games, including conference tournament contests.
 - Friday was the first time since its loss to Le Moyne that Southern New Hampshire was shutout in a game.

What's Next:
The Penmen head to Assumption College on Tuesday for 7 p.m. kickoff with the Greyhounds before returning to Larkin Field on Friday for a Senior Night showdown with Southern Connecticut State University at 5 p.m.