Saturday, September 18
Bethlehem, Pa.
7:30 p.m.
Lehigh University
1
vs
2
Loyola (Md.)
Photo by: Justin Lafleur
Lehigh wastes opportunities in 2-1 loss to Loyola
9/18/2021 11:06:00 PM | Men's Soccer
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men's soccer team scored first early in the first half, but a penalty kick equalizer and a second strike in the second half gave Loyola Maryland the 2-1 victory in the Patriot League opener Saturday night at the Ulrich Sports Complex. The Mountain Hawks (0-5-1, 0-1 PL) head into the new week still searching for their first victory of the 2021 season.
"I liked our effort and our mentality tonight," said The Ingrassia Family Men's Head Soccer Coach Dean Koski. "I thought we came to compete and we did. Frustratingly, I thought we didn't execute in the final third on the first goal and we didn't execute in our defensive effort. We need to be better when driving them inside the box, resulting in that PK. We need to be better there.
"What's most frustrating about this game is that we had 31 restart opportunities on fouls and corners and 31 chances where we could put the ball in the box and we didn't execute on our dead balls. That's attention to detail and that's on us as coaches to get the team focused on that. In Patriot League play, restarts matter and if you waste them, you waste opportunities and I thought we wasted way too many."
The very first shot of the game resulted in the first point as the junior Dominic Flowers hammered home his first goal of the season, a strike in the third minute to put Lehigh up, 1-0.
Shots in the first half were decently evening with Lehigh holding the slim 7-5 edge in that category.
After Lehigh committed a foul in the box, Loyola converted on a Justin Ingram penalty kick goal in the 17th minute to tie the contest at 1-1.
The Mountain Hawks ended the first 45 with a flurry of chances, as Jack Sarkos and Stevo Bednarsky had shots saved at the line in a matter of seconds before the whistle sounded for the end of the half.
Michael Tahiru began the second half with shot saved by Chase Vosvick and Thatcher Cooper had a header shot blocked, but it was Kelan Swales off the assists from Ingram and Kevin Medrano that pushed the Greyhounds ahead, 2-1.
Lehigh tried to control possession for the remainder of the game, firing off seven shots in the final four minutes to no avail, with five blocked shots and a shot on goal from Perry Kingson that was saved in the 90th minute.
Shots were 22-9 in favor of the Mountain Hawks including a 15-4 edge in the second half. Lehigh also had the advantage on corner kicks at 10-1 while fouls were 21-15 in favor of Loyola.
Flowers led Lehigh with four shots including two on goal with his early score, while Trevor Koski, Josh Luchini and Tahiru each registered three shots.
Lehigh will return home on Tuesday at 7 p.m. when UMBC comes to the Ulrich Sports Complex. That non-league matchup will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Like Lehigh Men's Soccer on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
Gallery: (9-19-2021) Men's Soccer vs. Loyola (Md.), 9/18/21
"I liked our effort and our mentality tonight," said The Ingrassia Family Men's Head Soccer Coach Dean Koski. "I thought we came to compete and we did. Frustratingly, I thought we didn't execute in the final third on the first goal and we didn't execute in our defensive effort. We need to be better when driving them inside the box, resulting in that PK. We need to be better there.
"What's most frustrating about this game is that we had 31 restart opportunities on fouls and corners and 31 chances where we could put the ball in the box and we didn't execute on our dead balls. That's attention to detail and that's on us as coaches to get the team focused on that. In Patriot League play, restarts matter and if you waste them, you waste opportunities and I thought we wasted way too many."
The very first shot of the game resulted in the first point as the junior Dominic Flowers hammered home his first goal of the season, a strike in the third minute to put Lehigh up, 1-0.
Shots in the first half were decently evening with Lehigh holding the slim 7-5 edge in that category.
After Lehigh committed a foul in the box, Loyola converted on a Justin Ingram penalty kick goal in the 17th minute to tie the contest at 1-1.
The Mountain Hawks ended the first 45 with a flurry of chances, as Jack Sarkos and Stevo Bednarsky had shots saved at the line in a matter of seconds before the whistle sounded for the end of the half.
Michael Tahiru began the second half with shot saved by Chase Vosvick and Thatcher Cooper had a header shot blocked, but it was Kelan Swales off the assists from Ingram and Kevin Medrano that pushed the Greyhounds ahead, 2-1.
Lehigh tried to control possession for the remainder of the game, firing off seven shots in the final four minutes to no avail, with five blocked shots and a shot on goal from Perry Kingson that was saved in the 90th minute.
Shots were 22-9 in favor of the Mountain Hawks including a 15-4 edge in the second half. Lehigh also had the advantage on corner kicks at 10-1 while fouls were 21-15 in favor of Loyola.
Flowers led Lehigh with four shots including two on goal with his early score, while Trevor Koski, Josh Luchini and Tahiru each registered three shots.
Lehigh will return home on Tuesday at 7 p.m. when UMBC comes to the Ulrich Sports Complex. That non-league matchup will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Like Lehigh Men's Soccer on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
Players Mentioned
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