BENNINGTON, Vt. — Scoring was scarce Wednesday afternoon as Elms College defeated Southern Vermont College 1-0 in New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) men's soccer play at Everett Field.

The win gives the Blazers a 5-4 advantage over SVC in the all-time series between the two programs, EC having now won four straight over the Mountaineers.

Elms junior Lorenzo Rolocut (Somers, Connecticut) scored the lone goal of the day, an amazing finish in the first half for what would eventually serve as the game-winner.

The two teams traded jabs throughout the opening period until the first great chance for either team came in the 29th minute. EC freshman James Kukharchuck (West Springfield, Massachusetts) played the ball from the right side of the field through the middle of the box where junior Connor O'Grady (Somers, Connecticut) took one touch and fired a shot on net. SVC freshman keeper Cody Gross (Fair Lawn, New Jersey) came off his line and got his hands in the air, allowing his right forearm to knock down the shot from point-blank range. The rebound found an open Elms player, but the ball bounced up and off his arm for a correctly indicated handball infraction as signaled by the assistant referee.

EC broke the scoreless tie in the 37th minute with one of the more impressive goals in the career of Rolocut. Being awarded a throw-in about 25 yards from the goal line, senior Joseph Coleman (Easthampton, Massachusetts) made a nice toss right to O'Grady who made a great flick towards the middle of the field. With his back to the goal, Rolocut swung his leg over his head, firing the ball into the top of the net for his fifth of the year, putting Elms on top 1-0.

The Mountaineers refused to let up and nearly tied the match with under five minutes to go in the first. After working the ball into the Elms end of the field, it squirted to open space about 10 yards out of the penalty area. That's where SVC junior defender James Tschinkel (Freehold, New York) ran on and settled the ball before getting off a low blast at the right side of the net. Blazer junior keeper Ryan Harris (Brandon, Mo.) came up big with a diving save to his left, turning away the shot to take the 1-0 lead into halftime.

The second half saw great defensive play from both teams who worked hard to keep the ball out of their respective penalty areas and forced long shots. With time wasting away, Southern Vermont received one of its best opportunities to tie the match on a corner kick with seven minutes to go. The ball sailed all the way to the back post where Mountaineer senior Sean Wright (Belvidere, New Jersey) jumped up and got his head on it, sending the potential equalizer just off the frame and right of the post. Elms possessed enough to let time run out and keep its undefeated conference record intact.

Harris made five saves while picking up his second win (2-2-1) of the season between the pipes, keeping a clean sheet for his first shutout of the year. Gross turned away 10 Blazer shots in the loss (1-12-1).

The Mountaineers (2-12-1, 1-3-1 NECC) are back on the road Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. NECC match at Regis College while Elms (7-6-2, 4-0 NECC) hosts Lesley University on Saturday for a 4 p.m. conference contest.