Soccer split for UNBers vs. St.FX

University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds didn't give the St Francis Xavier X-Men many scoring opportunities Sunday, but as it turned out, they didn't need to.

Jamar Dixon made good on possibly his team's only real scoring chance in the 73rd minute, heading a Josh Weinberger corner kick past Reds keeper Aaron McMurray, and the X Men played lock down defence the rest of the way, improving to 4-0 on the season with a narrow 1-0 win at Chapman Field.

The ball to Dixon, which bounced off the heads of two players before coming to the third year striker at the right side of the net, ended up being the only shot on goal for the X Men.

"It was a set play, everyone was in the right position and the ball came right to me and luckily I was able to finish it," Dixon, said of the game-winner.

"It was pretty huge, I suppose. This win makes us 4-0. We could be ranked nationally now, which hasn't happened for the school in about 15 years, so there are a lot of positives to come out of it."

Although the Reds managed to control the match for the most part Sunday, they were unable to produce any offence.

In fact, Galen Smith's header which soared just over the crossbar in the fifth minute and Shea Nordheim's shot from the left side of the net in the 71st were possibly the only scary moments for St. Francis Xavier keeper Andrew MacDonald all game.

"We didn't get a goal and we didn't get too many chances either. I mean, some of the credit has to go to our opponent who defend very well, but I think were better than what we showed," said Reds head coach Miles Pinsent.

"At times there was nice stretches where we played well, but they were few and far between. For most of the game, we seemed a little panicky."

After Dixon's goal put the X-Men ahead with 15 minutes to go the game turned into a match of keep away, something the defensive minded X-Men seemed comfortable with. The Reds did get two chances late, one in the 87th minute when David Andreychuck hit a deep ball that was just a little too far for a streaking Jean-Claude Campeau and another in the 89th minute when a Roy Mugume corner kick soared over a scrum in front of the X-Men net and rolled out of bounds.

"The timing wasn't quite right on it and it just cleared everyone's head," Pinsent said afterwards. "You get those chances at the end of the game and you certainly hope they work out, but unfortunately with that one it didn't."

The loss dropped the Red's to 1-2 on the season. They are back in action Friday when they visit the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers.

In AUS women's action earlier at Chapman Field, UNB won its first game of the season, 3-1 over St. Francis Xavier X-Women, on goals by Elise Arseneau at 58 seconds and Heather Amberry at 5:28 of the first half, and a second-half tally by Samantha Lagacy at 82:09.

Scoring the lone goal for X was Olivia Zanette at the 87:37 mark, ruining the shutout bid of Erika Ermen. Anna Thompson was the keeper for St. FX.