Box Score URBANA, Ohio -- The Notre Dame College men's soccer team suffered its first loss of the season on Sunday afternoon, falling to the host Urbana Blue Knights by a final score of 3-2.
Playing their first game in a week, the Falcons fell behind early against the Mountain East Conference rival Blue Knights. Raoui Lassoued scored a seventh minute goal for Urbana, giving the Blue Knights an early 1-0 lead over NDC.
After the early goal from Urbana, scoring came to a screeching halt for much of the game for both sides. Both NDC and Urbana attempted just five shots each in the first half as momentum went back and forth between both sides.
At halftime, the Falcons still trailed by just the narrow score of 1-0.
The Falcons came out in the second half with an aggressive attitude, pushing to create offensive chances. After being denied on a few early chances in the second half, the Falcons finally broke through in the 72nd minute.
Julian Giannotti pinpointed a cross pass in the box, finding
Leonardo Paiva who scored the header goal to tie the game for the Falcons, 1-1. The goal was Paiva's sixth of the season in as many games played.
However, the Blue Knights responded with a goal of their own less than 60 seconds later, taking back the lead by a 2-1 margin.
The Falcons proved resilient, continuing to create chances while looking for the equalizing goal. While NDC outshot Urbana 10-5 in the second half alone, it was the Blue Knights who scored next, using an 88th minute goal to take a 3-1 lead.
Again proving resilient, the Falcons scored less than 30 seconds later.
Ryan Ware dished a pass to Paiva, who scored his second goal of the game, and seventh of the season.
However, it was too-little, too-late as the Falcons fell by a final score of 3-2. With the loss, NDC now falls to 5-1 on the season, including 2-1 in MEC play.
The Falcons will return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at home against the Wheeling Jesuit Cardinals. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.
