Sept. 24, 2016 Box Score | Photo Gallery 
EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette men's soccer team suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Loyola on Saturday afternoon in its Patriot League home opener at Mike Bourger '44 Field at Oaks Stadium.
An early goal in the sixth minute put the Leopards on their heels early, while an added tally in the 75th minute closed the door. The loss drops Lafayette to 3-5 on the year overall and 0-1 in league play, while Loyola improves to 3-5 and 1-0 in conference action.
The Maroon and White controlled the pace of play for the majority of the contest and led in shots, 11-3, but Loyola made the most of its opportunities. Corners were 4-3 in favor of the visitors, while the Greyhounds' Matt Sanchez stopped three Leopard shots in net.
Working through the middle in the fifth minute, Brennan Goldsmith and Josh Fawole played 2v2 with the Lafayette defense as Goldsmith gave way to Fawole for an open shot to his right at the top of the box. Fawole let loose a missile into the left corner that gave Lafayette net-minder Brad Seeber no chance to put Loyola on the scoreboard.
Lafayette looked to answer less than five minutes later as a gorgeous long ball was played the length of the field onto a running Evan Vare in on goal. Vare let the ball drop and set up a half-volley strike that was perfectly taken and forced a leaping save from Sanchez over the crossbar and out of play.
As the game moved through the half, Lafayette began to settle in and put a number of opportunities together during the latter stages. A free kick from senior captain Ryan Egan in the 40th minute forced a diving save to Sanchez's right, while two shots came as a result of a long throw from Christian Moyse in the 42nd minute, but one was blocked and the other sailed high over the left side of goal.
The Leopards' best chance at an equalizer came just after the hour mark in the match as Vare, senior Ben Marks and freshman James Gibson linked up. Vare played Marks into the middle at the top of the box, who left it to his right for a cutting Gibson with the keeper on his way out. Gibson played the right shot, a chip over the keeper, but the ball didn't come back down in time as it stayed up over the bar.
Loyola sealed the game in the 75th minute off a corner opportunity. Gabriel Carlsson's service found a cutting A. Mickey Watson on the near side of the box, who finished with a header low and to the left side for the 2-0 advantage, where the scoreline remained through the final whistle.
Lafayette heads back out of conference for its next contest, traveling to Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. tilt.
