Nov. 22, 2003
Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette's men's soccer team dropped a 3-1 decision at Rutgers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
Rutgers took command of the match in the sixth minute when Josh Gros scored his 14th goal of the season. Chris Karcz played a header to Gros' feet, who settled the ball at the right post and fired a shot past the diving Jay Freedman from inside the five-yard box.
The Scarlet Knights put the game out of reach with a pair of goals just 40 seconds apart late in the first half. Nick LaBrocca off a Wes Kirk assist at 43:37 and following the restart, Ricardo Arenas found the back of the net from the top of the box off an assist from Todd Moser.
The Leopards got on the board in the 69th minute when Ryan McCaughey lobbed a pass into the box that Victor Krasij one-timed with his right foot past Rutgers keeper Lubos Ancin. The goal was Krasij's fourth of the season.
Rutgers held a decided advantage in shots, 21-11. Freedman made eight saves for the Leopards, including six in the second half. Ancin recorded three saves, two in the second half, as both teams forced the issue offensively throughout the final 45 minutes.
Lafayette, which closes its season 11-6-3, falls to 1-3 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
