MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Wesleyan men's soccer team snapped a six-game winless streak on Tuesday night, as the Cardinals toppled Springfield, 3-0, from Smith Field. Wesleyan moves to 7-3-3 overall, recording their first win in the month of October after a 6-0 start to the season, while the Pride drops to 2-9-2 in 2022.
 
An all-around terrific team performance featured an encouraging start as Wesleyan netted the game's first goal in the 8^th minute of play. Kyle Burbage '25 controlled the ball on the left wing before he sent in a right-footed cross towards the box. The ball took a deflection off a Springfield defender, going far post where Phillip Cubeddu '23 was waiting. He flicked the ball back right in front of goal where Lucas Ruehlemann '25 was waiting to fire in his fourth goal of the season.
 
Wesleyan continued to press for a second, generating three corner kicks in less than three minutes, before scoring a second in the 24^th minute. Ruehlemann drove the ball upfield before laying a pass off for Zach Wheeler '25 along the far sideline. He stepped into an in-swinging cross which found the head of Dane Harmaty '24 and looped in over the head of Springfield's goalkeeper Clayton Knibbs.
 
The first half barrage continued in the 34^th minute as Cubeddu was involved once again, dribbling past multiple defenders before he saw his driving shot attempt, headed for the inside of the left post, adeptly turned aside by Knibbs. However, the rebound fell right to Soren Tollis '25 in front, who made no mistake rifling in another Cardinal goal to make it 3-0 before halftime.
 
The Cardinals didn't let up in the second half, generating 10 shot attempts (four on-target) and five corner kicks but the Pride escaped further damage thanks to four second half saves from Kinbbs.
 
For the contest, Wesleyan outshot Springfield 18-10 while the Cardinals owned a 12-2 advantage in corner kicks.
 
Ruehlemann now sports a three-game goal scoring streak as he has three goals and one assist for seven points in the last three games. Cubeddu dished out two assists, giving him a team and NESCAC-leading eight on the season while this is his second multi-assist game of the season.
 
Liam Devanny '23 made five saves for his fifth clean sheet of the season and 16^th of his career.
 
The Cardinals now head on the road for a big NESCAC showdown on Saturday at No. 14 Bowdoin. Wesleyan is unbeaten (2-0-1) in their last three games played against the Polar Bears while seven of the past eight games between the two teams have been decided by one goal or have finished in a tie.