BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men’s soccer team dropped a tough 2-1 battle to Holy Cross on Saturday night at the Ulrich Sports Complex. The program’s four seniors were honored at halftime as they played their final game in the brown and white.

 

“If we played all of our games with that kind of energy, emotion and commitment than I think our season would be very different,” said head coach Dean Koski. “I’m very pleased that in the last game of the season they didn’t quit until the final whistle blew. I think that says a lot about the seniors and I’m proud of them for that.”

 

The Crusaders threatened early in the first half with seven shots and three corner kicks in the opening 15 minutes of the game, but the Mountain Hawk defense and freshman keeper Jacob Gottwald were able to keep all out of harm’s way. Senior Ben Borin tallied Lehigh’s first shot in the 16th minute, but the ball flew just wide. Senior Ben Wysocki fired Lehigh’s first shot on goal in the 22nd minute, but Holy Cross keeper Kevin Wright made the save. Gottwald made his third save in the 28th minute and a few minutes later, senior James Meyerkord fired a good shot on goal but Wright was able to make the save once again. Senior Kyle Lucas got off a ball that flew just over the crossbar in the 34th minute.

 

The Crusaders struck in the 36th minute when a ball from Monty Sanders found the foot of Dane Kenny who put the ball just out of Gottwald’s reach into the lower left corner of the net.

 

The Mountain Hawks responded in the 44th minute when sophomore Jamie Luchini connected with a serve from junior Brian Suchoski to float the ball over Wright’s head and into the back of the net and send the game into halftime at a 1-1 draw.

 

Luchini opened up the second half with a shot on goal before Gottwald made a nice save in the 53rd minute to keep the score tied. Luchini had another chance in the 57th minute when Wright stepped out of the net, but the sophomore midfielder couldn’t get enough on the ball as it skirted just wide. Crusaders’ Tommy Uttaro fired a pristine shot in the 61st minute but a Mountain Hawk defender slid in to deflect the ball out of trouble.

 

The Crusaders scored the go-ahead goal in the 65th minute off the foot of Luke Melody to take a 2-1 lead with 25 minutes to play. The Mountain Hawks wouldn’t go quietly, tallying seven shots and three on goal in the final ten minutes of the game, but none came to fruition as the clock expired to give Holy Cross the 2-1 win.

 

Holy Cross held a 20-19 shot advantage and 9-8 shot on goal advantage in the tightly contested battle. Lehigh’s four seniors combined for nine of the 19 Mountain Hawk shots. Gottwald finished the game with seven saves against Wright’s six.

 

“We were pleased to be able to honor the seniors tonight,” said Koski. “I just wish we could have gotten the result.”

 

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