MANSFIELD, Conn. -- Utilizing only three substitutes -- two of them backup goalkeepers -- due to sickness and injury, Eastern Connecticut persevered for a 1-0 win over fourth-seeded Massachusetts Dartmouth Saturday afternoon to win its second Little East Conference men's soccer championship in the past three years at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.

Senior co-captain Nicholas Boretti (Marshfield, Mass.) scored his eighth goal of the season midway through the second on assists from freshmen Cory Tobler (Portland, Conn.) and Jon DeCasanova (Glastonbury, Conn.) and sophomore keeper Carl Appel (West Windsor, N.J.) made two standout saves in the second half for the team's second conference title in as many championship game appearances.

Boretti was named the tournament Most Outstanding Player after scoring game-winning goals in each of the team's shutout wins in the playoffs. He scored the first goal Wednesday as the second-seeded Warriors blanked No. 3 seed Rhode Island College, 2-0, at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex

The win is the Warriors (16-4-1) eighth straight this year and 10th in a row against New England competition and ties the 40-year-old program record for wins in a season. Eastern Connecticut is ranked fifth in New England.

With the win, the Warriors qualify for their second NCAA tournament, which gets underway Thursday.