Friday, September 10
Piscataway, N.J.
7 p.m.
Lehigh University
0-4-0, 0-0-0
2
at
3
Rutgers
4-0-1, 0-0-0
1
2
F
Lehigh
0
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2
Rutgers
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Photo by: Hannahally Photography
Rutgers scores final two to down Mountain Hawks, 3-2
9/10/2021 10:14:00 PM | Men's Soccer
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – The Lehigh men's soccer team turned a 1-0 halftime deficit into a 2-1 lead, but Rutgers responded with the game's final two goals to beat the Mountain Hawks, 3-2 on Friday evening. Senior Josh Luchini scored his first goal of the season in the defeat, while fifth-year Stevo Bednarsky's centering pass later in the half led to an own goal. Blake Koski finished with seven saves.
"I think it's a similar story to some of our games where we just haven't been able to get started with the kind of intensity getting our front foot forward," said head coach Dean Koski. "It may be how we're setting them up, and how we're playing. We haven't found a style yet that is meeting what we need to do.
"The bottom line is, you give up three goals in a soccer game, it's really difficult to win," Koski continued. "I'm really proud of how we fought back, coming back from a one-goal deficit, but we just can't seem to settle in and lock it down in the back. We have to figure it out. I'm sure it's as frustrating for the players as it is for us."
After Trevor Koski fired the game's first shot in the 11th minute, Rutgers reeled off the next five, three of which were saved by Blake Koski, including a penalty-kick stop. Luchini went on to have a golden opportunity in the 37th minute, but it hit the post.
Less than three minutes later, the Scarlet Knights opened the scoring. Pablo Avila fired one from several yards outside the box that was placed perfectly into the right side of the goal past the reach of Koski.
Rutgers held its 1-0 lead until the 49th minute when off a free kick from senior Michael Tahiru, junior Euan Forrest headed it to Trevor Koski, who headed it to Luchini, who one-touched it into the back of the net.
"We have talked about where we want the ball to go on service in the box and trying to be more dangerous when we have an opportunity like that," said Dean Koski. "I thought they executed it to the way we had hoped. We had guys in the right position winning head balls and Josh finishing. That's a moment we want to enjoy and celebrate, but we just have to keep playing and we can't let our guard down defensively. I have to figure that out."
The 1-1 score held until the 64th minute when from the end line, Bednarsky centered looking for junior Dominic Flowers, but a Rutgers defender deflected it into the net to give Lehigh a 2-1 lead.
Not long after in the 69th minute, the Scarlet Knights' Ritchie Berry got a foot on a long cross, past Koski for a 2-2 deadlock. In the 81st minute, Rutgers took the lead for good as Vincent Borden headed a cross that was just out of the reach of a leaping Blake Koski.
Lehigh only had one shot the rest of the way, off the foot of Trevor Koski, but it sailed wide.
Final shots were 22-7 in favor of Rutgers while the Scarlet Knights held a 9-2 edge in corner kicks.
Lehigh now looks ahead to a Tuesday matchup at FDU (7 p.m.), its final tune-up before Patriot League play next Saturday vs. Loyola.
"We are not going to overlook FDU because it's an important nonleague matchup," said Dean Koski. "They're having a good year and a good start. We certainly scheduled a tough beginning of the season, but we want these challenges.
"Where we are right now is a little bit unsure of ourselves and not sure how we want to play," Koski continued. "That's in some ways frustrating, in other ways exciting because we haven't locked ourselves into any one player, any one position, any one system. We may just have to be a team that figures out how to grind out games. We're in an okay place. We'll find our way out of it. I don't want us to be focused on anything other than the next game. Our goal is to make sure we're looking ahead to the next game and trying to improve."
Like Lehigh Men's Soccer on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
"I think it's a similar story to some of our games where we just haven't been able to get started with the kind of intensity getting our front foot forward," said head coach Dean Koski. "It may be how we're setting them up, and how we're playing. We haven't found a style yet that is meeting what we need to do.
"The bottom line is, you give up three goals in a soccer game, it's really difficult to win," Koski continued. "I'm really proud of how we fought back, coming back from a one-goal deficit, but we just can't seem to settle in and lock it down in the back. We have to figure it out. I'm sure it's as frustrating for the players as it is for us."
After Trevor Koski fired the game's first shot in the 11th minute, Rutgers reeled off the next five, three of which were saved by Blake Koski, including a penalty-kick stop. Luchini went on to have a golden opportunity in the 37th minute, but it hit the post.
Less than three minutes later, the Scarlet Knights opened the scoring. Pablo Avila fired one from several yards outside the box that was placed perfectly into the right side of the goal past the reach of Koski.
Rutgers held its 1-0 lead until the 49th minute when off a free kick from senior Michael Tahiru, junior Euan Forrest headed it to Trevor Koski, who headed it to Luchini, who one-touched it into the back of the net.
Another look at 😱 goal finished off by Josh Luchini tonight.@NCAASoccer | #SCTop10 | #PLTop3 | @TopDrawerSoccer pic.twitter.com/6vvhT3H5vp
— Lehigh Men's Soccer (@LehighMSoccer) September 11, 2021
"We have talked about where we want the ball to go on service in the box and trying to be more dangerous when we have an opportunity like that," said Dean Koski. "I thought they executed it to the way we had hoped. We had guys in the right position winning head balls and Josh finishing. That's a moment we want to enjoy and celebrate, but we just have to keep playing and we can't let our guard down defensively. I have to figure that out."
The 1-1 score held until the 64th minute when from the end line, Bednarsky centered looking for junior Dominic Flowers, but a Rutgers defender deflected it into the net to give Lehigh a 2-1 lead.
Not long after in the 69th minute, the Scarlet Knights' Ritchie Berry got a foot on a long cross, past Koski for a 2-2 deadlock. In the 81st minute, Rutgers took the lead for good as Vincent Borden headed a cross that was just out of the reach of a leaping Blake Koski.
Lehigh only had one shot the rest of the way, off the foot of Trevor Koski, but it sailed wide.
Final shots were 22-7 in favor of Rutgers while the Scarlet Knights held a 9-2 edge in corner kicks.
Lehigh now looks ahead to a Tuesday matchup at FDU (7 p.m.), its final tune-up before Patriot League play next Saturday vs. Loyola.
"We are not going to overlook FDU because it's an important nonleague matchup," said Dean Koski. "They're having a good year and a good start. We certainly scheduled a tough beginning of the season, but we want these challenges.
"Where we are right now is a little bit unsure of ourselves and not sure how we want to play," Koski continued. "That's in some ways frustrating, in other ways exciting because we haven't locked ourselves into any one player, any one position, any one system. We may just have to be a team that figures out how to grind out games. We're in an okay place. We'll find our way out of it. I don't want us to be focused on anything other than the next game. Our goal is to make sure we're looking ahead to the next game and trying to improve."
Like Lehigh Men's Soccer on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
Team Stats
LEHIGH
RU
Goals
2
3
Shots
7
22
Shots on Goal
2
10
Saves
7
0
Corners
2
9
Fouls
16
13
Scoring Plays
Avila, Pablo (2)
GOAL by RU Avila, Pablo (FIRST GOAL), goal number 2 for season.
39:21
Luchini, Josh (1)
Assisted By: Koski, Trevor , Forrest, Euan
GOAL by LEHIGH Luchini, Josh, Assist by Koski, Trevor and Forrest, Euan, goal number 1 for season.
48:51
TEAM
Steve Bednarsky played ball across goal
63:31
Barry, Ritchie (1)
Assisted By: DeVizio, Thomas
GOAL by RU Barry, Ritchie, Assist by DeVizio, Thomas, goal number 1 for season.
68:26
Borden, Vincent (1)
Assisted By: DeVizio, Thomas
GOAL by RU Borden, Vincent, Assist by DeVizio, Thomas, goal number 1 for season.
80:29
Game Leaders
Shots
4
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
M/D
/ Men's Soccer
D/M
/ Men's SoccerD
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's SoccerM
/ Men's SoccerF
/ Men's SoccerF/M
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