POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist Men's Soccer team fell in its final non-conference home game of the season by a score of 2-1 to Yale on Sunday afternoon. In a tale of two halves, a strong first half by the Red Foxes went for naught as the Bulldogs netted two goals and extended its all-time streak of wins versus Marist to three. Sophomore Dylan Lee (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) scored his first goal of 2012 to give the Red Foxes their lone score of the contest.
Realizing that goals would be at a premium in the matchup as Yale had allowed just five goals in its first seven games; the Red Foxes struck early just 1:23 into the game. After a bouncing corner kick, junior Wes Finch (Newburgh, N.Y.) laid a ball to the left wing where Lee ripped a shot to the top right hand corner of the goal from 30 yards out. The deep shot grazed a Yale defender, making it difficult for Yale's Bobby Thalman to get a clean look. The electrifying play put Marist up 1-0 and set the tone for a controlled first half of play. Good crisp ball movement dominated the majority of first half play.
Later in the half, Marist had another quality chance at converting its second goal. In the 23rd minute, sophomore MJ Stellwag (Newburgh, N.Y.) put a dangerous free kick into the box as senior Stephan Brossard (Port Washington, N.Y.) crashed the goalkeeper. The ball was deflected and the once seeming threatening attack was denied. However, Brossard kept on the attack and had back to back strong strikes on goal in the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh minute. Thalman came up with a save on the first attempt and Brossard's second attempt just flew high of the crossbar. At the half, each team had recorded four shots, with Marist holding a two to one advantage in shots on goal to go along with its 1-0 lead.
After a promising first 45 minutes, Marist could not retain that level of play in the second half. Yale overtook Marist in offensive possession and put the Red Foxes on their heels for most of the second half. The Bulldogs put together a variety of crosses and through balls to test Marist. Yale scored its first goal of the second half after Milan Tica launched a free kick from forty yards out off the cross bar. Conner Lachenbruch recovered the rebound and put it past Marist keeper Anthony Sokalski at 64:40. Less than seven minutes later, the Bulldogs grabbed the lead when Jenner Fox crossed the ball from the right corner and Kevin Michalak volleyed in the game-winning goal.
Going down 2-1, Marist attempted a comeback by becoming more aggressive on offense. In the 79th minute, Brossard tested Yale's second goalie of the day, Blake Brown. Brown nearly lost control of the ball, but quickly recovered to put away Marist's first shot on goal of the second half. In the 88th minute, Marist had its final shot to tie the game; off of Cesar Ceja's (Port Chester, N.Y.) free kick, Greg Davis (Jamaica, N.Y.) took a final shot on goal but it was blocked by a Yale defender and sealed the 2-1 win for Yale.
For the game, Yale outshot Marist 14-8, with a 10-4 margin in the second half. The Bulldogs took eight shots on goal versus four for the Red Foxes. Sokalski finished with six saves in the loss.
"We didn't want it bad it enough" remarked Head Coach Matt Viggiano post-game. "We got too comfortable and Yale took it to us. If we want to be a great team, we have learn how to keep the intensity up the whole 90 minutes."
The Red Foxes will next be in action on Saturday, Sept. 29 at Adelphi in a 4 p.m. kick-off.
