Oct. 26, 2007
EASTON, Pa. - Patriot League play continues this weekend for the Lafayette men's soccer team (6-2-5, 1-1-2) as the Leopards head to Bucknell on Saturday night. The team is coming off a scoreless tie against Army last weekend, Lafayette's fifth tie of the season.
The Leopards' defense continued its dominant play last Saturday, shutting down the Black Knights' offense through two overtime periods. Sophomore goalie Philip Nelson finished the game with six saves, including five in the first half. For his efforts, Nelson was named the Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week for the third time this fall.
Lafayette doubled-up Army in shots (21-10) and corner kicks (6-3) but could not find the back of the net as the Leopards left West Point with the tie. Senior Scott Hawkins led both teams with four shots while five other Leopards had multiple shots in the game.
Lafayette's 0.49 goals-against average (GAA) this season is currently the seventh-best mark in the nation. The Leopards have given up multiple goals in just two games this fall and only seven all season. In addition, the team has recorded eight shutouts. The five ties match a single-season high as the 2001 squad is the only other team in program history to finish a season with at least five ties.
Hawkins leads the team in scoring with five goals this season while classmate Mike Tilley has chipped in three scores. Fellow senior Anthony Sepe leads the team in assists with four.
The Leopards, currently ranked fourth in the NSCAA's Mid-Atlantic Region, return home to host No. 19/20 West Virginia on Wednesday night. The game will be broadcast live on RCN-4 and WBPH-60 and is the final of three televised matches for Lafayette this fall.
