WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite playing down a man for the game's final 63:10 against one of the nation's best offenses on the road, the Lehigh men's soccer team buckled down to defeat George Washington, 1-0 on Saturday in our nation's capital. Lehigh shut-out a Colonials team that entered the day No. 1 nationally with nine goals through its first two games. Senior Mark Forrest accounted for the game's only offense with a penalty-kick goal in the 18th minute. With the win, the Mountain Hawks improve to 1-2-0 while George Washington falls to 2-1-0.
 
"It's never easy when you go on the road, particularly against a team that's been lighting it up offensively," said Lehigh head coach Dean Koski. "We were very conscious about that, then you go down a man early in the game against a formidable attacking team, that's as big a challenge as you could ask. I'm incredibly proud of the way our guys managed their emotions and responded. It's our job to not worry about calls and just do our jobs out there, and we did that."
 
Lehigh came out with the game's first four shots, including two on goal from senior Oscar Greene, but GW goalkeeper Thor Arne Hofs made the stops. The Mountain Hawks kept the shots coming, ending up with the first seven shots of the contest, the seventh being Forrest's second penalty kick goal of the young season to give Lehigh a 1-0 lead at 17:31. The opportunity was set up by sophomore Trevor Koski, who was fouled in the box.
 
"Just competing in the box is really important for us," said Dean Koski. "Mark took the penalty kick and slotted it. It was an important goal to have early in the game."
 
Less than 10 minutes after the goal, Lehigh junior goalkeeper Will Smith stopped the Colonials' first two shots of the game, in the 24th and 26th minutes, respectively. Just over a minute after his second stop, freshman Michael Tahiru was whistled for a red card at the 26:51 mark to put Lehigh down a man for the rest of the game.
 
The Mountain Hawks responded. GW ended the half with four of the final six shots, but Lehigh went into halftime with a 1-0 lead.
 
Still down a man, Lehigh actually began the second half with the first two shots and three of the first five before George Washington turned up the pressure. The Colonials fired the final six shots of the game, over the final 19:01, but Lehigh's defense stood tall, backboned by Smith who finished with six saves and his first shutout of the season.
 
Not only did Lehigh hold down the national leader in goals as a team, but also the individual goal leader. The Mountain Hawks held Oscar Haynes Brown scoreless after he entered the day leading the country with seven goals through two games.
 
"Zarin Tuten, Tyler Dressman and Nick Jennings were the men of the match for us," said Koski. "They did a great job of really managing the attack, managing their forwards and managing Brown. It was a bend, but don't break type of day for us. We gave up some possession, but that's what you have to do when you're down a man. Defensively, from Will to our backs, they all did a great job of managing the game. When you go on the road, go man down and get a shutout against a strong team, hats off to our backs."
 
Final shots were 14-12 in favor of GW while Lehigh held a 3-2 edge in corner kicks.
 
"We had to go to our bench quite a bit, so we had a lot of guys play," said Koski. "Everyone who stepped up did a really good job filling a role. There was great energy on the bench, it was positive, and the guys on the field needed it. It was a hard-fought result for everybody."
 
The Mountain Hawks return to action on Tuesday when they travel to St. John's to face the Red Storm. Opening kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
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