“I’ve been coaching for many years in the Patriot League, and I can’t remember a time where we were down two goals and down a man with five minutes left to find a way to get level,” mentioned Ingrassia Family males’s head soccer coach Dean Koski. “It shows our resilience, it shows our commitment to keep fighting and competing, and I’m certainly proud of the effort.”
Army (3-1-4, 1-0-1 PL) obtained the scoring began shortly within the first half, netting the sport’s first aim within the 14th minute off the boot of Ronald Zhai. Later within the half, the Black Knights secured a second aim within the thirty first minute after a shot from Army’s Jacob Nguyen was deflected into the again of the web by a Lehigh (3-2-3, 1-0-1 PL) defender. A steal and rating by Giacomo Zizza within the thirty second lower the lead in half, however one other Black Knights aim within the forty third gave Army a 3-1 lead at halftime.
Opportunities had been exhausting to come back by for the Mountain Hawks for almost all of the second half. Lehigh’s first shot on aim of the second half got here within the 84th minute when Army’s Michael Guiry made a formidable save on a header from Paul Smajlaj. Zizza managed to get one other previous the web within the 87th minute to gather his second aim of the night. A minute later, first-year Thomas Sharkey despatched a nook in direction of the web that was knocked into the aim by an Army defender, tying the match 3-3 to safe the purpose for the Mountain Hawks.
“This is one of those games where our guys came together as a group and didn’t stop competing, didn’t play to the score,” mentioned Koski.
Lehigh took 11 pictures within the match and despatched 4 on aim whereas Army took 15 pictures with seven on aim. Zizza completed the match taking 5 pictures, three on aim and scored two targets. Sam Davis, Trey Sheeler, Jason Pynadath, Smajlaj, Yusef Gueye and Aiden Gonzalez recorded pictures for the Mountain Hawks. Pynadath and Shea Coughlin assisted on Zizza’s second aim.
“[Zizza] is certainly our engine,” mentioned Koski. “He wants to win, he makes a difference and an impact. His work ethic, his ball striking and his finishing tonight were really good. But that’s Giacomo, and Giacomo has that in him. I’m happy for him to have the kind of game he had.”
Goalkeeper Anton Kinnunen confronted seven pictures on aim, making 5 saves.
Lehigh returns to the pitch on Saturday, September 27 on the street towards Navy at 11 a.m.
“We’ve got a week to get ready, and certainly we’re going to need the week,” mentioned Koski. “All of the Patriot League teams are tough, and Navy is no exception.”
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