Danbury, Conn.--No. 2-seeded Rhode Island College fell, 1-0, to No. 1-seeded Western Connecticut in the title game of the 2017 Little East Conference Men's Soccer Championship, played at the Western Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon. The Anchormen and the Colonials each finished the regular season with identical, 5-2, league records and shared the 2017 Little East Regular Season Championship.

The Anchormen end their season, while Western Connecticut advances to the NCAA Div. III Men's Soccer Championship next week.

THE BASICS
No. 2 Rhode Island College 0, No. 1 Western Connecticut 1
Rhode Island College (9-8-2)
Western Connecticut (14-6-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Western Connecticut took the early lead in the ninth minute when sophomore back Spencer Ranno (Sherman, CT) sent a pass across the box to junior forward Chauncey Allers (Wilton, CT) who scored to give the hosts the lead.

• That would be all the scoring for the half as Western Connecticut took the one goal lead into the break after outshooting RIC by a 9-5 margin.

• Rhode Island College had several scoring opportunities in the second half, outshooting the Colonials by an 8-5 margin in the frame. The Anchormen couldn't convert, however, as Western Connecticut held on to win the league championship.

• RIC sophomore goalkeeper Charlie Tashjian (West Warwick, RI) (8-7-2) made seven saves for RIC in the setback, while freshman goalkeeper Daniel Szabo (Trumbull, CT) (6-3-1) had two stops to earn the win for Western Connecticut. Junior goalkeeper Luca DiCarlo (Waterbury, CT) also recorded two saves for the Colonials.

BY THE NUMBERS
• Western Connecticut outshot RIC by a slight, 14-13, margin, while both teams had three corner kicks in the game.

• RIC lost at Western Connecticut, 1-0, in the two clubs' regular season meeting on Oct. 15.

• Rhode Island College has reached the championship game of the Little East tourney in each of the past three seasons.