Often times, it’s the first one that’s hardest to get.

Midfielder Chad Trigo scored the only goal of the game, his second of the young season, at the 28:30 mark of the first half on a well-placed cross pass from sophomore David Lococo as the UMass Boston men’s soccer team opened their home schedule with a sound 1-0 victory over the Monks of St. Joseph’s (ME). UMB’s record improved to 1-2 in the young season.

The game got off to a shaky start for the Beacons when goalkeeper Michael Tady mishandled a free kick two minutes into the game. Fortunately, there were no Monks near the goal to capitalize on the miscue. Tady came up with seven saves for his first shutout.

Offensive chances were even for the first twenty-five minutes of the game. However, midfielders Lococo and Alejandro (Alejo) Lopez displayed a chemistry that indicated a serious scoring chance was imminent.

Lopez received the ball at midfield cleanly. After some deft dribbling, he sent a pass to a streaking Lococo down the right sideline. Lococo outraced the Monk defender to the ball. Jeff Yaeger, the St. Joseph’s goalkeeper, came out from his goal to cut down the angle. Lococo saw Trigo running down the middle of the field toward the goal, and sent a perfect pass right by Yaeger to Trigo who blasted the ball into the net.

UMB kept up the offensive pressure for the rest of the first half, but it didn’t result in any more goals. Both teams started sluggishly in the second half, with passes off the mark. St. Joseph’s had one or two opportunities for attack, but the forwards and midfielders were for the most part out of sync. The Beacons gradually rebuilt the sustaining pressure that they had in the first half, frustrating the Monks offensively, with captain Georgio Bantos holding the backline like the experienced veteran that he is.

The win brought the Beacons record to 1-2. The team next plays on Saturday on the road against Eastern Nazarene. The first Little East Conference match isn’t until September against Plymouth State.