Box Score • Box Score

Northeastern opened CAA competition with a yellow-card filled victory Saturday, downing Georgia State 2-0 in the opener. Sophomore forward Mike Kennedy scored his second goal of the season while freshman Andre Ciliotta earned his first three collegiate points with a game-winning goal and an assist. Don Anding also earned his first career point, assisting Ciliotta's game winner.

Scott Partridge tended the net for the Huskies, returning to action for the first time in four games. Partridge was perfect in his return, saving all six shots fired his way including several diving efforts. The shutout was the 11th of his career and his first of the season.

Both squads came out hard in the first half, with each side earning a shot on goal in the first three minutes. The Huskies were able to control play after the initial rush and outshot their opponent for the fourth straight game.

Ciliotta's goal came midway through the first period. As Kennedy played a ball out wide, he found Don Anding in the box. Anding tipped the ball to Ciliotta who rifled a shot past Georgia State's freshman goalkeeper Vincent Foermer. It was the first career assist and point for Anding and the first goal and points of Ciliotta's young career.

The half was also dotted with cautions. Four yellow cards were given out in the period, two to each team. Huskies' co-captain, Matt Sanford earned the first yellow of the game in the 15th minute but was quickly joined by Georgia State's Christopher Peacos seven minutes later. Another Northeastern captain, Lars Okland, earned one of two yellows given in the 25th minute with the other going to the Panthers' Ayokunle Lumpkin.

Following the cautions, the two teams played a heated second half that featured strong play from the Huskies. Just two minutes into the half Ciliotta found Mike Kennedy open in the box. Kennedy ripped a shot just past Foermer to give the Huskies the 2-0 lead that they would retain for the rest of the game. Two minutes later an altercation led to two more yellow cards, one to Northeastern's Josh Danesh and one to Georgia State's Stephan Minyono.

"It's great to earn that first win in conference play," said Huskies head coach Brian Ainscough. "The defense played well against Georgia State's big threats and Scotty Partridge had a great game."

Ainscough had plenty of praise for the Northeastern squad, adding the Anding was key in disrupting the Panthers' defense and that Kennedy continued to play outstanding soccer.

"We didn't change too much," said Kennedy after the match. "We just took our time finishing and got a lot of help from the defense that let us make runs up the field."

The win improves the Huskies to 2-5-0 on the season but more importantly leaves them 1-0-0 in CAA play. Last season, Northeastern thrived in conference play and earned a spot in the CAA championship game.

Conference play will continue this Wednesday as the Huskies travel to Hempstead, N.Y. to face off with the Hofstra Pride at 7 p.m.