CHAMPS! UB Men's Soccer Stuns Post With 4-3 Comeback to Claim 2025 CACC Title
Purple Knights, down to just 10 men, surge back from 3-1 deficit in the second half.
WATERBURY, Conn. – Down 3–1 and down a man, it didn't matter for the University of Bridgeport's men's soccer team on Saturday afternoon, as the Purple Knights staged one of the most remarkable comebacks in CACC Championship history to defeat top-seeded Post, 4–3, and claim the conference title. The thrilling and gutsy victory gives UB its first conference championship since 2001 which came as part of the NYCAC.
After conceding twice early in the second half and seeing a red card reduce them to 10 men in the 53rd minute, UB responded with three unanswered goals over the final 35 minutes of regulation.
Graduate student Enzo Beatrix ignited the rally in the 55th minute, burying a tricky over-the-head cross from Kaanturk Akgul to cut the deficit to 3–2.
Just five minutes later, Pierre Leo leveled the match with a sliding finish set up by Ewen Le Cozic and Joao Miranda.
UB's relentless pressure broke through once again in the 76th minute when Miranda stepped to the spot and converted the championship-winning penalty kick, completing a comeback that seemed unthinkable just half an hour earlier.
Bridgeport's defensive unit and goalkeeper Viktor Mašek closed the door from there, surviving late pressure and lifting the Purple Knights to a dramatic conference crown—one earned through a historic second-half surge.
Freshman Kristians Prieditis put in UB's first goal of the game which gave the Purple Knights a 1-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. Prieditis adds to his team-leading goal total this season which is now at seven.
Following the match, Beatrix was named as the CACC Tournament's Most Valuable Player after registering a goal and two assists across UB's three playoff wins.
Joining Beatrix on the All-Tournament Team for UB were Le Cozic, Miranda, Prieditis, Lucas Mah and Samuel Dundas.
Also following the championship victory, senior Bruno Cakurs was named as the CACC's Top XVI Award Winner.
Cakurs was given that honor as the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average (GPA) competing at the CACC's men's soccer championship.
HIGHLIGHTS ��⚽️
— Bridgeport Athletics (@UBPurpleKnights) November 16, 2025
UB Men's Soccer will be dancing for the first time since 2007 thanks to a comeback 4-3 win over Post in the CACC Championship game this afternoon! pic.twitter.com/RhmNRxxQzG
UP NEXT
The Purple Knights, who are now dancing for the first time since 2007, will learn their NCAA Tournament draw on Monday night (7 p.m.) during the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Selection Show.
