Saturday, September 20
West Point, N.Y.
7:00 PM
Lehigh University
3-2-3, 1-0-1
3
at
3
Army
3-1-4, 1-0-1
1
2
F
Lehigh
1
2
3
Army West Point
3
0
3
Photo by: Kit Keating
Two Goals In Four Minutes Help Lehigh Secure 3-3 Draw Against Army
9/20/2025 9:49:00 PM | Men's Soccer
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Lehigh men's soccer traveled north on Saturday evening for its first road Patriot League match of the season against the Army West Point Black Knights. Lehigh trailed 3-1 after the first half, but two Mountain Hawk goals in the final four minutes secured a 3-3 draw.
"I've been coaching for many years in the Patriot League, and I can't remember a time where we were down two goals and down a man with five minutes left to find a way to get level," said Ingrassia Family men's head soccer coach Dean Koski. "It shows our resilience, it shows our commitment to keep fighting and competing, and I'm certainly proud of the effort."
Army (3-1-4, 1-0-1 PL) got the scoring started quickly in the first half, netting the game's first goal in the 14th minute off the boot of Ronald Zhai. Later in the half, the Black Knights secured a second goal in the 31st minute after a shot from Army's Jacob Nguyen was deflected into the back of the net by a Lehigh (3-2-3, 1-0-1 PL) defender. A steal and score by Giacomo Zizza in the 32nd cut the lead in half, but another Black Knights goal in the 43rd gave Army a 3-1 lead at halftime.
Opportunities were hard to come by for the Mountain Hawks for the majority of the second half. Lehigh's first shot on goal of the second half came in the 84th minute when Army's Michael Guiry made an impressive save on a header from Paul Smajlaj. Zizza managed to get another past the net in the 87th minute to collect his second goal of the evening. A minute later, first-year Thomas Sharkey sent a corner towards the net that was knocked into the goal by an Army defender, tying the match 3-3 to secure the point for the Mountain Hawks.
"This is one of those games where our guys came together as a group and didn't stop competing, didn't play to the score," said Koski.
Lehigh took 11 shots in the match and sent four on goal while Army took 15 shots with seven on goal. Zizza finished the match taking five shots, three on goal and scored two goals. Sam Davis, Trey Sheeler, Jason Pynadath, Smajlaj, Yusef Gueye and Aiden Gonzalez recorded shots for the Mountain Hawks. Pynadath and Shea Coughlin assisted on Zizza's second goal.
"[Zizza] is certainly our engine," said Koski. "He wants to win, he makes a difference and an impact. His work ethic, his ball striking and his finishing tonight were really good. But that's Giacomo, and Giacomo has that in him. I'm happy for him to have the kind of game he had."
Goalkeeper Anton Kinnunen faced seven shots on goal, making five saves.
Lehigh returns to the pitch on Saturday, September 27 on the road against Navy at 11 a.m.
"We've got a week to get ready, and certainly we're going to need the week," said Koski. "All of the Patriot League teams are tough, and Navy is no exception."
Like Lehigh men's soccer on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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"I've been coaching for many years in the Patriot League, and I can't remember a time where we were down two goals and down a man with five minutes left to find a way to get level," said Ingrassia Family men's head soccer coach Dean Koski. "It shows our resilience, it shows our commitment to keep fighting and competing, and I'm certainly proud of the effort."
Army (3-1-4, 1-0-1 PL) got the scoring started quickly in the first half, netting the game's first goal in the 14th minute off the boot of Ronald Zhai. Later in the half, the Black Knights secured a second goal in the 31st minute after a shot from Army's Jacob Nguyen was deflected into the back of the net by a Lehigh (3-2-3, 1-0-1 PL) defender. A steal and score by Giacomo Zizza in the 32nd cut the lead in half, but another Black Knights goal in the 43rd gave Army a 3-1 lead at halftime.
Opportunities were hard to come by for the Mountain Hawks for the majority of the second half. Lehigh's first shot on goal of the second half came in the 84th minute when Army's Michael Guiry made an impressive save on a header from Paul Smajlaj. Zizza managed to get another past the net in the 87th minute to collect his second goal of the evening. A minute later, first-year Thomas Sharkey sent a corner towards the net that was knocked into the goal by an Army defender, tying the match 3-3 to secure the point for the Mountain Hawks.
"This is one of those games where our guys came together as a group and didn't stop competing, didn't play to the score," said Koski.
Lehigh took 11 shots in the match and sent four on goal while Army took 15 shots with seven on goal. Zizza finished the match taking five shots, three on goal and scored two goals. Sam Davis, Trey Sheeler, Jason Pynadath, Smajlaj, Yusef Gueye and Aiden Gonzalez recorded shots for the Mountain Hawks. Pynadath and Shea Coughlin assisted on Zizza's second goal.
"[Zizza] is certainly our engine," said Koski. "He wants to win, he makes a difference and an impact. His work ethic, his ball striking and his finishing tonight were really good. But that's Giacomo, and Giacomo has that in him. I'm happy for him to have the kind of game he had."
Goalkeeper Anton Kinnunen faced seven shots on goal, making five saves.
Lehigh returns to the pitch on Saturday, September 27 on the road against Navy at 11 a.m.
"We've got a week to get ready, and certainly we're going to need the week," said Koski. "All of the Patriot League teams are tough, and Navy is no exception."
Like Lehigh men's soccer on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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Team Stats
Lehigh
Army
Goals
3
3
Shots
11
15
Shots on Goal
4
7
Saves
5
2
Corners
5
4
Fouls
13
15
Scoring Plays
Ronald Zhai (2)
Assisted By: Jack Meyer
GOAL by Army Zhai, Ronald Assist by Meyer, Jack.
13:00
0
GOAL by Army TEAM.
30:05
Giacomo Zizza (2)
GOAL by Lehigh Zizza, Giacomo.
31:31
Jack Kryger (1)
Assisted By: Owen Ennis
GOAL by Army Kryger, Jack Assist by Ennis, Owen.
42:14
Giacomo Zizza (2)
Assisted By: Jason Pynadath , Shea Coughlin
GOAL by Lehigh Zizza, Giacomo Assist by Pynadath, Jason and Coughlin, Shea.
86:04
0
GOAL by Lehigh TEAM.
88:54
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
5
SOG
3
Goals
2
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
M
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