Box Score JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Saint Peter's Men's Soccer team loss a heartbreaker to La Salle, 4-3, in overtime today in Jersey City at Jaroschak Field. The Peacocks scored a season best three goals, after entering today's contest with just two total on the season, but the three were not enough to claim the team's first victory of the season.
"A disappointing loss in overtime," noted head coach Julian Richens. "In the second half, we did enough to win the game, but a lack of being focused just cost us. We had five seniors out today, but we still had enough experience to see that game out."
The first half witnessed no goals in the affair and had the makings of a defensive contest. La Salle held a 5-to-1 shot advantage in the first half and Saint Peter's keeper, Jamie Cleland made 3 stops before heading into the break.
The action picked up in the second half with the Explorers jumping on the board first at the 58'. Johnny Ciarlante scored the first goal of the game from Matt Robinson's corner kick, giving La Salle a 1-0 lead. Just a minute and a half later, Saint Peter's got the equalizer when Luke Fairlamb fed Chris Rodrigues in the box and Rodrigues found the back of the net for a his first goal of the season. Two minutes later, Fairlamb put the ball into the box off a corner kick that found Brandon Goncalves scoring the go ahead goal with a header. The score would put the Peacocks up 2-1. La Salle responded at the 78' mark with Robinson dishing out another corner kick assists to Coleman Kennedy whose header found the back of the net for the 2-2 equalizer. The score would remain tied at 2-2 until the 85th minute, when Fairlamb notched his career-best third assists of the game on an own goal by the La Salle giving Saint Peter's the 3-2 edge. The Peacocks held on to the slim lead until the final seconds but surrendered a goal to Joe Bianco with 4 seconds remaining, sending the game into overtime.
In the extra period, Robinson found Conor Nichols for the game-winning goal in the 95' to secure the comeback victory.
Cleland finished the game with a career-high 14 saves in the losing effort.
The Peacocks drop to 0-3-1 on the season and are back in action in one week when they travel to Sacred Heart on September 14 for a 3p.m. start.
