FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Lafayette men's soccer team defeated Fairfield 3-2 on Saturday night in an epic comeback at Lessing Field. Sophomore forward
Roy Biegon finished the match with two goals and an assist as classmate
Beaux Lizewski notched two assists (both to Biegon) as well as the equalizing goal in the 74
th minute.
The Leopards opened the scoring in the 17
th minute. Lizewski stood over a corner before rolling the ball out short to sophomore defender
Griffin Feather. Feather took a touch out of his feet and whipped his in-swinging service into the penalty area where a completely unmarked Biegon was waiting. The Nairobi, Kenya native guided his side into the lead with a brilliant header past Fairfield goalkeeper Viktor Nikolov.
Five minutes later the Stags found their equalizer through Thomas Drillen. Alex Oliveira took the corner and it was a great service. A Fairfield player flicked the ball further into the box and Drillen beat his man nodding home in the 22
nd minute.
Fairfield took the lead in the 29
th minute. The Stags were beginning to find their rhythm offensively as Drillen picked up the ball in midfield. The ball eventually found its way to Devin Zachry who set himself with his first touch and unleashed a strike with his second that beat Lafayette goalkeeper
Eric Axtman on a deflection.
Lafayette compiled six more corner kicks in the first half, but Fairfield led 2-1 at the break.
The Maroon and White faced some early chances in the beginning of the second half but Axtman made two crucial saves in the 53
rd and 55
th minute to keep the Stags off from leveling the match.
Senior forward
Lawrence Aydlett created some half chances for the Leopards, but Nikolov was up to the task.
After back-and-forth play at both ends of the pitch, Lafayette tied the game. The Leopards had a free kick on the right flank just inside its own half to begin the move. Freshman defender
Jackson Vajda found Biegon further down the field and Biegon looked up to send in a cross. His low driven service found Lizewski who took a brilliant first touch and tapped home the equalizer in the 74
th minute.
Freshman midfielder,
Cade Maglione, almost gave Lafayette the lead shortly after Lizewski's goal but Nikolov made an incredible save at his top-left corner to keep the match all square.
Biegon snatched the winner in the 80
th minute off a great cross from Lizewski. Senior forward
Andrey McIntyre held the ball up well before dishing it to Lizewski. The Cranberry Township, Pa. native's first-time cross found the head of a leaping Biegon who tucked the ball home into the side netting giving Nikolov no chance.
The Leopards began to slow the game's tempo in the final minutes, forcing Fairfield to go on the front foot. The Stags had a late half chance, but Lafayette held on to win 3-2.
Axtman finished the evening with two saves between the sticks.
Lafayette is back on the road at Villanova on Saturday at 4 p.m.
To keep up with the Lafayette men's soccer program, follow its social media pages.
X/@LafayetteMSOC | Instagram/@lafayette_msoc | Facebook/GoLeopards
