New London — Hours before the annual Whale Cup game, the Coast Guard Academy men's soccer team learned about earning the program's first national ranking.

The Bears played like they plan on sticking around for awhile.

With its trademark gritty performance, No. 23 Coast Guard posted a hard-fought 1-0 shutout of Connecticut College on Tuesday in the 37th meeting between the two crosstown rivals.

CGA coach Chris Parsons wasn't worried one bit about the ranking dulling his team's focus for the big non-conference game.

"This actually would probably be the best game to have in reality, because if you can't be focused and you can't get up for this game then you have a problem," Parsons said. "My concern was we got ranked for the first time and we're probably playing our toughest opponent to date.

"We get ranked for a day and we lose and then we're out (of the poll). We won so we'll stay in for awhile. I couldn't be happier."

The game appeared headed for overtime as both teams played stingy defense and each side had limited quality scoring opportunities.

That's until senior John Tarzian's brilliant strike in the 60th minute broke the deadlock and kept the Bears (8-0) with a spotless record.

A determined Tarzian beat two defenders to Alex Lane's long pass and hit a brilliant breakaway strike from about 18 yards out that looped over the head of keeper Austin DaCunha.

Tarzian said his teammates kid him about his frequent misses.

"It's a running joke," Tarzian said. "I'm like 3-for-33 on the season with my shots. I just looked up and saw where the keeper was and just kind of let it go. I wasn't really thinking. Usually, I miss, but it was quality."

It was Tarzian's team-leading third goal of the season and his third game-winner.

Up until this season, Tarzian anchored the defense as an All-New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference center back.

"He's a great kid," Parsons said. "You saw him fighting out there. And he's done a great job leading as captain."

The Bears have specialized in winning close games, with all eight victories coming by one goal.

"Grit is a word that we throw around a lot," Tarzian said. "You could see it in our game today."

It also helps to have an all-conference goalie in senior Richie Burns, who made three saves to post his fourth shutout this season and 20th of his career. Burns grabbed several dangerous balls in traffic while several of Conn's best shots sailed either wide or over the bar.

The game grew increasingly chippy. Late in the second half, Burns had a hard collison with an on-rushing Colin Patch, who received a yellow card for the late contact. Freshman defender Austin Read came to his keeper's defense, holding a chest-to-chest meeting with Patch. Burns finished the game with a sore shoulder.

The Camels (3-3) applied constant pressure in the final 10 minutes, taking four straight corner kicks. But they couldn't find the back of the net.

It was CGA's first win in the series since 2010. The Camels had won five of the last six meetings and hold a 24-11-2 lead overall.

The Bears, ranked fifth in New England, will try to extend their program best start on Saturday when they travel to Clark.

"I wouldn't have thought we'd be 8-0," Parsons said. "But, hey, they believe now."

The Coast Guard players don't plan on letting their ranking inflate their egos.

"It means a lot to get recognized, especially being at the Coast Guard Academy and everything that we face on a daily basis," Tarzian said. "With that said, I always tell the team try not to get complacent. ... We've got to keep playing the way we're playing and good things will happen."

g.keefe@theday.com

Twitter: @GavinKeefe