Tuesday, September 6
Bethlehem, Pa.
6 p.m.
Lehigh University
0-3-1
2
vs
2
La Salle
1-1-2
1
2
F
La Salle
0
2
2
Lehigh
0
2
2
Sarkos' Nets Brace As Lehigh Draws La Salle 2-2 In Home Opener
9/6/2022 8:54:00 PM | Men's Soccer
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Senior Jack Sarkos scored a pair of goals and Lehigh took a pair of one-goal leads, but La Salle equalized twice to earn a 2-2 draw in the Mountain Hawks' home opener Tuesday night at the Ulrich Sports Complex.
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All four goals on the night came after halftime as Lehigh posted a result for the first time in 2022. The Mountain Hawks are now 0-3-1 while La Salle is now 1-1-2.
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"I'm really happy that we found the net twice and I thought Jack Sarkos had a Sarkos-esque performance and I'm really happy for him and excited for him because it's going to help us when he starts getting into form," Lehigh head coach Dean Koski said. "I'm really disappointed that going up a man and going up a goal that we gave up a goal, what I considered a really soft goal. We have to do better there. That seems to be our Achilles' heel right now, teams coming down the middle of the park pretty easily against us so we've got some work to do and we've got to get guys healthy and we've got to help some of the younger guys mature faster."
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Sarkos opened the scoring in the 50th minute when he was able to corral a pass from first year Gennaro Mazzella and beat the La Salle keeper with a left-footed shot from the top of the box.
La Salle leveled the score at 1-1 in the 62nd minute when Giammarco Rodio ran onto a loose ball at the edge of the box and chipped it in over Lehigh keeper Tommy Chyzowych.
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Less than three minutes later, the Mountain Hawks went in front again. Junior Hassane Diakho was pulled down in the box while getting a boot on a Lehigh free kick and Sarkos converted the penalty for his second of the night and his 11th career tally.
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The Explorers went down a man in the 70th minute when Americo Pereira was assessed his second yellow card. Lehigh was unable to capitalize on the man advantage and La Salle equalized again in the 73rd minute when Nigel Buckley scored on a shot from just outside the box on a feed from Omari Cotterrell.
ÂGallery: (9-6-2022) Men's Soccer vs. La Salle 9/6/22
"I think we challenged them in the locker room at halftime to be more effective in the attacking half of the field and that means you have to show up, you have to be there and we asked Jack to be more mobile for us and try to get to the ball and help us build out and he did a good job of that," Koski said. "Our guys just felt, when they started creating chances and Jack had the opportunity to score a goal, I think that elevated our performance for the better part of 20 minutes and then it just kind of unraveled from there."
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La Salle finished with a 16-13 edge in shots and a 5-3 edge in corner kicks. Chyzowych made two saves for the Mountain Hawks, while Valentin Kneis made three stops for the Explorers.
The Mountain Hawks will travel to Penn State next Monday to play their final tune up before Patriot League play begins at home against American on Friday, Sept. 16. Monday's game will kick off at 7 p.m. from Jeffrey Field.
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Like Lehigh Men's Soccer on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.Â
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All four goals on the night came after halftime as Lehigh posted a result for the first time in 2022. The Mountain Hawks are now 0-3-1 while La Salle is now 1-1-2.
Â
"I'm really happy that we found the net twice and I thought Jack Sarkos had a Sarkos-esque performance and I'm really happy for him and excited for him because it's going to help us when he starts getting into form," Lehigh head coach Dean Koski said. "I'm really disappointed that going up a man and going up a goal that we gave up a goal, what I considered a really soft goal. We have to do better there. That seems to be our Achilles' heel right now, teams coming down the middle of the park pretty easily against us so we've got some work to do and we've got to get guys healthy and we've got to help some of the younger guys mature faster."
Â
Sarkos opened the scoring in the 50th minute when he was able to corral a pass from first year Gennaro Mazzella and beat the La Salle keeper with a left-footed shot from the top of the box.
ÂA Sarkos strike gives Lehigh the lead in the 50th minute!
— Lehigh Men's Soccer (@LehighMSoccer) September 6, 2022
Watch: https://t.co/SkyswUDU9s@espn @PatriotLeagueTV pic.twitter.com/dVRHQUgvHn
La Salle leveled the score at 1-1 in the 62nd minute when Giammarco Rodio ran onto a loose ball at the edge of the box and chipped it in over Lehigh keeper Tommy Chyzowych.
Â
Less than three minutes later, the Mountain Hawks went in front again. Junior Hassane Diakho was pulled down in the box while getting a boot on a Lehigh free kick and Sarkos converted the penalty for his second of the night and his 11th career tally.
Â
The Explorers went down a man in the 70th minute when Americo Pereira was assessed his second yellow card. Lehigh was unable to capitalize on the man advantage and La Salle equalized again in the 73rd minute when Nigel Buckley scored on a shot from just outside the box on a feed from Omari Cotterrell.
Â
"I think we challenged them in the locker room at halftime to be more effective in the attacking half of the field and that means you have to show up, you have to be there and we asked Jack to be more mobile for us and try to get to the ball and help us build out and he did a good job of that," Koski said. "Our guys just felt, when they started creating chances and Jack had the opportunity to score a goal, I think that elevated our performance for the better part of 20 minutes and then it just kind of unraveled from there."
Â
La Salle finished with a 16-13 edge in shots and a 5-3 edge in corner kicks. Chyzowych made two saves for the Mountain Hawks, while Valentin Kneis made three stops for the Explorers.
ÂHead coach Dean Koski after Lehigh's home-opening 2-2 draw with La Salle 👇 pic.twitter.com/A1aLe7juIk
— Lehigh Men's Soccer (@LehighMSoccer) September 7, 2022
The Mountain Hawks will travel to Penn State next Monday to play their final tune up before Patriot League play begins at home against American on Friday, Sept. 16. Monday's game will kick off at 7 p.m. from Jeffrey Field.
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Like Lehigh Men's Soccer on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.Â
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Team Stats
LASALLE
LEHIGH
Goals
2
2
Shots
16
13
Shots on Goal
4
5
Saves
3
2
Corners
5
3
Fouls
12
6
Scoring Plays
Sarkos, Jack (1)
Assisted By: Mazzella, Gennaro
through ball, dribbled in and beat keepe
49:40
Giammarco Rodio
loose ball and chipped over keeper from
61:29
Sarkos, Jack (2)
LEHIGH Sarkos, Jack PENALTY KICK GOAL, goal number 2 for season.
64:09
Nigel Buckley
Assisted By: Omari Cotterell
Shot from outside the box
72:04
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
6
SOG
3
Goals
2
Assists
0
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
GK
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