STORRS, Conn. – Three Huskies scored in the first half and goalkeeper Andre Blake earned his 40^th career win, as the University of Connecticut men’s soccer team won its third straight match, defeating Columbia, 4-0, Tuesday night at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium. With the win, UConn improves to 6-2-4 (2-0-3 The American) on the season, while Columbia falls to 5-3-2 overall, and remains 0-0-2 in the Ivy League.

Freshman midfielder Cyle Larin opened up the scoring at the 14:41 mark, putting away his team-leading fifth goal of the season. Fellow freshman Kwame Awuah sent a great ball into the box to junior Edir DaGraca, who gathered it with his chest and lobbed it to Larin, who drilled a shot into the upper middle portion of the net.

At the 27:55 mark, junior forward Allando Matheson added to Connecticut’s total, putting away his fourth goal of the season. Matheson gathered a pass in the box from sophomore Nicholas Zuniga and fired the ball past Columbia keeper Kyle Jackson into the top right shelf of the goal.

UConn’s third goal came after a Columbia defender was called for a hand ball in the box at the 33:54 mark. Senior midfielder Colin Bradley buried the ensuing penalty kick to give the Huskies a commanding lead late in the first half. Bradley, who entered the entered the season without a career goal, is now 2-2 in penalty kicks in 2013.

Columbia had very few scoring chances in the opening 45 minutes, tallying zero shots on goal, and just three shots in total. The Lions best chances came early in the game, when Columbia midfielder Antonio Matarazzo took two shots at the UConn goal, though both attempts missed high.

The Lions’ final scoring opportunity came early the second half when Columbia midfielder Andrew Celsus received a through pass and headed into the box toward Blake, who charged out to confront Celsus, and eventually took the ball away, persevering the shutout.

The Connecticut defense hasn’t allowed a goal in the last 235 minutes. In the last two matches, Connecticut has scored seven goals and allowed just six total shots to opponents.

In the 67^th minute, Matheson nearly scored his second goal of the game when his header hit off the post after he received a cross from Larin. A minute later, Matheson did convert, scoring a header off of a corner kick from junior Adria Beso. Matheson has scored five goals in the last four matches, coming off the bench for head coach Ray Reid.

Connecticut almost had its fifth goal of the night in the 78^th minute when redshirt junior defenseman Jonathan Goodridge, who saw action on the field for the first time this season, charged into the left side of the box and flicked a shot on goal that just missed past the right post.

Tuesday’s match marked the first time UConn has scored four goals in a game since October 17^th of 2012, when the Huskies won 4-0 against Seton Hall at home.

With the win, Blake earned his 30^th career shutout as a Husky. The junior finished the match with one save and sits at 4-2-4 in 2013.

UConn returns to action when it travels to Louisville, Kentucky to face the No. 7 Cardinals at Cardinal Park. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.