Aug. 25, 2017 Box Score
EASTON, Pa. – Senior goalkeeper Brad Seeber was strong between the pipes for the Lafayette men's soccer team in Friday night's season opener at Mike Bourger '44 Field at Oaks Stadium, making seven saves over 90 minutes. Unfortunately, the Leopards couldn't get anything going offensively, dropping a 2-0 decision to Fairleigh Dickinson.
It was a defensive game from the opening touch as neither team allowed the other to penetrate their defensive third. There were just 10 total shots in the opening half, with two coming off a penalty kick for the opening Knights goal.
The first real scoring chance didn't occur until the 25th minute off a corner attempt. Diego Arribas' service found the head of Casey Abelein just above the six-yard box, but an excellent diving save by Seeber to his right kept the visitors off the board.
Just seven minutes later, sophomore forward Evan Vare put an excellent hit on a free-kick opportunity from about 25 yards out on the left of goal. His shot dipped over the wall and soared just outside the near-side left post.
The opening goal came in the 35th minute as a take-down in the box awarded a penalty-kick chance for FDU's Fredinho Mompremier. He chose the left side on his effort and Seeber guessed correctly, initially stuffing the opportunity. However, the rebound went right back to the FDU junior, who slotted his second chance into the open net for the 1-0 advantage.
As the game moved through the halftime break, the visitors began to take over possession of the game, not allowing a Lafayette shot through the final 45 minutes of action. The second goal came eight minutes into the second session.
FDU's Daniel Lasarte worked himself into a 1v1 situation with a Lafayette defender outside the left corner of the 18-yard box. Multiple moves, finished by a cut to the inside opened space and Lasarte finished back across his body, beating Seeber low and into the left side for the two-goal cushion.
That goal proved costly as the Leopards couldn't find anything to match it on the offensive end for the final 40 minutes, falling by a 2-0 score. Vare posted three of the four Lafayette shots on the night, while Sebastian Ferreira picked up the win for the Knights in net without making a save.
The Leopards return to action on Tuesday, traveling to St. Francis Brooklyn for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Terriers.
