Sept. 2, 2016
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette men's soccer team surrendered a pair of second-half goals on Friday evening on Mike Bourger '44 Field at Oaks Stadium, falling to Fairfield by a 2-0 margin.
"We knew that they were an international team, which kind of adds a different flair to their style of play," junior goalkeeper Brad Seeber said. "They did what we thought they would do, but unfortunately we couldn't come out with the win tonight. I'm confident that we're going to rebound going forward and we'll put the ball in the net."
The Leopards began the game looking to do just that as perhaps their best chance came in the opening minute. Freshman James Gibson stole the ball in the middle of the field and worked it up the right side to classmate Evan Vare. Vare worked a give-and-go with another rookie Ryan Goncalves for what looked like an open shot at goal on the near post. Vare's sliding shot in the middle of the box forced a diving save to the left of the keeper and kept the Leopards off the board early.
That was the lone threat for either side in the opening half before Lafayette came out in the second looking to take an advantage. Senior Ben Marks earned a free kick to the left of the box in the 48th minute and played a low ball onto an excellent run from classmate Ryan Egan. Egan attempted to slide the ball into the far corner, but it slipped outside the far post.
Seeber came up with an excellent save five minutes later on a shot by Fairfield's Diego Casielles in the middle of the box. However, in the 55th minute, the Stags converted as James Contino found Steven Valente on the right side of the box, who slotted a slow curler back to the left side and over the reach of Seeber into the net.
A Lafayette foul in the box in the 74th minute set up the second Fairfield goal as Ben Wignall stepped up and converted a penalty kick into the right side for the 2-0 advantage.
Each keeper finished with one save on the night, while Fairfield held the edge in shots, 7-5, and corners, 4-2. Fouls finished at 10 apiece.
Lafayette falls to 0-3 on the season and will look to right the ship with a three-game road trip beginning on Sunday. The Leopards will battle Quinnipiac in Hamden, Conn. at 3 p.m., before treks to Fordham on Sept. 9 and Yale on Sept. 17.
