Nov. 11, 2000

Box Score

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - For the third time in three seasons, the Lafayette men's soccer team has advanced to the Patriot League Tournament final, this time by way of a 3-0 shutout of Holy Cross on Saturday.

Lafayette's semifinal victory at Metzgar Fields and Lehigh's 1-0 win over Bucknell in the tournament's first semfinal will make possible a rematch of the 1998 Patriot League Tournament final in which Lafayette won 2-0 in front of a home crowd. The game is scheduled to kick off at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday with an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament on the line.

On Saturday junior Mike Saioni (Cold Spring, N.J./Wildwood Catholic) headed in a Keith Evans' (La Plata, Md./La Plata) serve off a direct kick and gave Lafayette a 1-0 lead at 30:11.

Less than two minutes later, the Leopards (8-10) lit up the scoreboard again, as Adam Decker's (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) second goal of the season gave Lafayette a 2-0 lead and the momentum. Freshman Ralph Rapuano (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) and junior Mike Milberger (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains) assisted on the goal which Decker tapped in at 32:05.

Lafayette added a final goal early on in the second half, as Milberger was again involved on the scoring play, but this time on the business end. Milberger took a through ball pass from Decker and fired off a shot from inside the box to give Lafayette its final goal at 48:15.

Lafayette keeper Drew Stotler (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) managed his fourth complete shutout of the season while recording three saves. Michael Kenny also made three saves in goal for Holy Cross (8-10), but gave up all three goals.

No. 1 seed Lafayette hosts No. 3 seed Lehigh at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.