(1-0-1)     1 2 F  Lafayette 2 1 3  FDU 0 0 0   Box Score (0-2-0)  

 

EASTON, Pa. - Senior Todd Forrester netted his first career goal and added his first career assist to power the Lafayette men's soccer team to a 3-0 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday evening at Mike Bourger '44 Field at Oaks Stadium.

"We created some great chances. We were able to keep the pressure on and sustain it which has been one of our goals heading into the season," head coach Dennis Bohn said. "All in all, it was a good, positive night."

Positivity was evident all over the field on Tuesday as the Leopards netted three goals for the first time since the 2012 Patriot League championship season. That year, the Leopards downed Penn in Philadelphia on August 31 in a 3-2 victory. Additionally, a pair of freshman netted their first collegiate goals as Josh Kruczek and Grant Burg scored on either side of Forrester's tally.

The first two marks of the contest came within 56 seconds of each other in the 34^th and 35^th minutes of the opening half. The first was opened up by a pass from junior Campbell Weyland out to the far right side, finding senior Ben Marks in position for a cross. Marks sent a curling ball across the front of goal where a streaking Kruczek was able to get his foot on it to flick it into the back of the net for the opening score.

Less than a minute later, Marks sent a through ball in the area of Forrester, who was streaking down the middle of the FDU box. Forrester used his pace to cut in front of a defender and cut back a shot past the diving Knights goalkeeper for the second marker.

"I saw Ben coming in and there was a huge gap between the outside and center backs, so I saw that hole, slid in there and put it away," Forrester said. "I was nervous that I may have been offside, but when I saw the flag was down, I was ecstatic."

The Leopards held the 2-0 edge late into the contest before the third goal of the game sealed the Knights' fate. Forrester and Burg worked a give-and-go through the right side of the box before Burg finished into the far corner for the deciding tally.

"Grant played me a great ball, was wide open on the pass back, and was able to slip it in for an easy goal," Forrester added.

The Lafayette defense was stout throughout, giving up just four shots with one on goal and keeping its clean-sheet streak to two games. Sophomore goalkeeper Brad Seeber was solid again, making one save on the night, while FDU net minder Matthew Weigner allowed three goals and made three saves in defeat.

Shots were 12-4 in Lafayette's favor, while corner kicks also fell the Leopards' way by a 6-4 margin.

The Maroon and White look to continue their winning ways on Friday, welcoming Cornell to College Hill for a 7 p.m. matchup.