ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Lafayette men's soccer traveled to Navy on Saturday and battled the Midshipmen to an electric 3-3 draw.
The Leopards wasted no time jumping out in front, courtesy of a goal from senior captain
Nicholas Liebich in the fifth minute. Lafayette won a freekick 40 yards from goal and junior midfielder
Samir Dishnica was set to deliver. His cross found the head of a leaping Liebich, who powerfully nodded the ball past Robert Eaton to grant the Maroon and White a 1-0 lead.
Navy went on to score goals in the 14
th and 30
th minute, to take a one-goal lead with 15 minutes to go in the first half. Alex Galloway opened Navy's scoring, while Nick Gallucci fired the Midshipmen into the lead off of an assist by Luke Parker.
The hosts' advantage was wiped away in the 40
th minute, after freshman
Oliver Gordon tucked home his first collegiate goal of his career. Lafayette was in its attacking third when it won a throw in. Both teams were fighting for possession before the ball fell to junior
Griffin Feather. The midfielder slipped fellow classmate
Roy Biegon down the line and the forward squared the ball back into the penalty area. Gordon didn't hesitate with the chance, calmly dispatching his left-footed effort past Eaton at his near post.
After an action-packed 45 minutes, the match was level at two goals apiece.
Lafayette retook the lead in the 64
th minute. Navy was in comfortable possession right before one of its midfielders had a poor touch on the half turn. Biegon reacted first and began to drive towards the Midshipmen's goal. The Nairobi, Kenya native took a peek up and noticed Eaton had strayed off his line. Biegon took on a curled strike from 25 yards out and that nestled into the goal, leaving Eaton no chance.
Now holding a one-goal lead, Lafayette looked to manage the clock and sit behind the ball. Navy never stopped pushing for an equalizer and with 12 seconds left in the contest they found it. The hosts initial free kick created a scrum in the box, but the ball eventually found the foot of Parker who volleyed the ball past goalkeeper
Eric Axtman.
Navy's late goal boosted them to 0-4-2 in Patriot League play and Lafayette now holds a 2-1-3 record.
The Leopards return to action at 7 p.m. on Tuesday as it wraps up its non-conference schedule with a trip to Drexel.
To keep up with the Lafayette men's soccer team, follow its social media pages.
X/@Lafayette_MSOC | Instagram/@lafayette_msoc | Facebook/GoLeopards
