PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester men's soccer team closed out its home schedule in 2024 unbeaten on the Fauver Stadium turf, turning in a 1-0 victory over visiting Washington University in St. Louis on Sunday afternoon.
 
Rochester's conference victory moved the Yellowjackets to 9-4-3 overall on the season and 3-2-1 in the UAA. Overall in 2024, the Yellowjackets finished 6-0-3 in home contests. The loss dropped the Bears to 7-5-3 overall on the year.
 
The Yellowjacket goal came in the 38th minute on a terrific one-timer volley from sophomore Milos Bisenic off a right end line cross from Kol Bassuk.
 
In goal, graduate student Santino Lupica-Tondo was credited with six saves, earning his 25th career shutout, extending his Rochester men's soccer school record.
 
WashU controlled the opening 25 minutes, taking the first nine shot attempts of the game, but the 'Jacket defense and Lupica-Tondo kept the Bears off the board.
 
In the 24th minute, a slip pass up through traffic saw the ball hit the foot of Owen Culver who cracked a hard left wing shot on frame, but Lupica-Tondo made the save to keep the game scoreless.
 

A few minutes later, a turnover allowed the Bears to possess the ball deep in UR territory and a dangerous cross into the crease by Colin Link was defended away nicely by UR's Nick Swanger.
 
On the counter, Rochester's Kamal Ibrahim and Ashton Prescott created an opportunity with a give-and-go up the right side. Prescott then centered a cross towards Bisenic, but the sophomore's attempt sailed wide.
 
UR's first couple of chances ended up flipping the script for the rest of the half, as the Bears were held without a shot over the final 20 minutes of the first.
 
With 14 minutes remaining in the half, a foul just outside the box gave the 'Jackets a nice look from the center of the field, but the free kick off the foot of Bisenic towards the left corner was saved by a diving Cal L'Hommedieu in the WashU goal.
 
Six minutes later, Bisenic broke the scoreless draw with his fourth goal of the season, tying for the team lead with three others.
 
A bouncing ball found Bassuk along the right sideline and after dribbling around a defender near the corner, the junior defender sent a beautiful cross to Bisenic at the edge of the crease for a 1-timer right-foot volley that beat L'Hommedieu to his right and found the back of the net.
 
In the second half, Rochester's EliJose Araujo embarked on a long run up the left sideline and cut in towards the edge of the box for a shot, but that attempt was blocked away for a corner by the Bear defender.
 
With under 25 minutes left in the game, Lupica-Tondo made his best save of the day, diving to stop a Quentin Gomez header in the box off a corner kick from Zach Susee.
 
The Bears kept applying pressure to notch the equalizer, but a shot in the 69th minute by Ethan Wirtschafter off a chip pass up was blocked nicely by Rochester's Jeremiah Anandarajah.
 
That chance was WashU's last good look at a goal in the game, as the Bears were held without a shot for the remaining 20 minutes, only earning one corner the rest of the way as the 'Jackets were able to hang on for the one-goal win.
 
For the game, the Bears led 13-10 in shots and 9-3 in corner kicks.
 
Both teams now have one game remaining in their regular season schedule, with Rochester playing at Emory next Saturday at 1:30 pm. WashU plays on the road as well, traveling to the University of Chicago for a 1:30 pm (Central Time) matchup.