ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Making his second start since returning from a hamstring injury, Fabrizio Savarino netted the game's lone score in the 18th minute to push the men's soccer team past Richmond this afternoon, 1-0, and into sole possession of second place in the Atlantic 10.

The win gives the Bonnies (10-7-0, 5-3-0 A-10) 15 points in the A-10 standings, three behind leader Charlotte and one clear of Massachusetts. The top six teams receive invitations to the A-10 Championship in two weeks, but more importantly the top two teams get byes into the semifinals. The loss drops Richmond to 4-11-1 overall and 3-4-0 in A-10 play.

Savarino's goal started with freshman Brad Vanino sending a ball down the right side of the pitch to classmate Emmett O'Connor. O'Connor beat his defender and carried the ball into the box – nearly to the touch line – before feeding it back out to the center of the box where a wide open Savarino beat keeper Brock Tomlinson to his left.

"Fab (Savarino) has been a proven goal scorer for us, and we've missed that," head coach Mel Mahler said of Toronto native who had missed all but one A-10 game prior to his return on Friday. "He's able to come back now and provide us with that extra punch and we're excited about it."

Senior goalkeeper David Flynn made that one goal stand up as he stopped several point-blank opportunities by Richmond as part of his eight-save performance en route to his fifth shutout of the season and 19th of his career.

Flynn was once again helped by the defensive backline in front of him, and Mahler was quick to point out the play of senior Kevin Mjaatvedt in particular.

"I thought he was a real defensive standout for us today," Mahler said of Mjaatvedt. "He made some extremely timely tackles and did a good job in starting the counterattack."
 
After getting just two shots off in the first half, both off the foot of Savarino, the Bonnies pounded the Spiders' net with 14 in the second half to keep the pressure on and the ball out of their half of the field.

The team will return to action next Saturday, Nov. 6, when it wraps up its regular-season docket against Duquesne. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. from McGraw-Jennings Field, and the team will honor its 10 seniors prior to the game.

Notes: The Bonnies were picked to finish 11th in the A-10 preseason poll … there were a total of 46 total fouls in the game … six yellow cards were issued, four to Richmond and two to St. Bonaventure … O'Connor increased his team-leading point total to 16 … the 10 wins gives the Bonnies back-to-back years of double-digit wins, the first time since they did it three consecutive years from 1997-99.