PHILADELPHIA, PA - Despite an aggressive start, the Men's soccer team couldn't finish off an early lead and eventually fell to Lafayette University in a 3-1 loss.  The Explorers went up 1-0 within the first minute of play, but the continuous scoring throughout the rest of the game by Lafayette proved too much for La Salle.

 

It started off with over 44 minutes left on the clock in the first half, as midfielder Joe Heavey(Coatesville, PA/Devon Prep) took a cross from sophomore Jim Davis(Pittsgrove, NJ/A.P. Schalick) and turned it into a one-touch header that would put the Explorers up 1-0.

 

That would be all the scoring La Salle would do on the night, however, as the Leopards quickly replied with two goals of their own.  In the eighth minute of the first half, Scott Hawkins of Lafayette headed a ball into the Explorers' goal off a free kick from senior Thomas Harju.  Hawkins would then show up again soon after that, giving an assist to forward Leopard Mark Price who tapped the ball into the goal only three minutes after the first score.

 

The rest of the game would be a soggy battle over possession between the two teams.  La Salle fought to keep the ball downfield, but it was Lafayette who succeeded in finding the back of net one more time.  After a mess of dribbling and kicking, Mark Price would score his second goal of the night, this one a header off of a deflection from the cross bar. 

 

That's how the day would end for La Salle, as Lafayette's persistant defense held up strong until the clock ran down with a final score of 3-1.

 

The Explorers now look to this weekend, as they take a trip downtown to play Howard University in the Drexel Invitational Tournament.  Later in the weekend they will visit the University of Maryland Baltimore County for a 12 o'clock Sunday game.