NEWTON, Mass. – The Lesley University men's soccer team fell to a 2-1 decision in heartbreak fashion on the road tonight at Mt. Ida College in a non-conference affair. With the score tied 1-1 in the 90th minute, the Lynx were called for a takedown in their own box, giving the hosts a penalty kick with just 41 seconds left on the clock. Mt. Ida senior Luke Pugsley (Milton, Mass.) buried the free attempt into the left side of the goal to give the Mustangs the 2-1 win.
Mt. Ida got on the board first early in the first half when sophomore Billy Zeba (Lexington Park, Md.) buried a shot from the left side to put the hosts up 1-0 in the 7th minute.
The Lynx were quick to answer as senior Ryan Richardson (Santa Barbara, Calif.) deposited a rebound to even things at 1-1 just 45-seconds later. Fellow senior Spencer Irwin (Somers, N.Y.) started the threat when his shot was blocked by Mustang keeper Riley Ford (Guilderland, N.Y.), but Richardson was in great position to bury his first tally of the season.
The Lynx threatened to go ahead ten minutes later with a pair of consecutive corner kicks, but Ford was there to make a save on an Irwin header to keep the game knotted.
Each side finished with seven shots in the second half while Lesley held a 3-0 edge in corner attempts.
The Mustangs had a flurry of chances in the 65th minute of play with a couple of corner kicks of their own. Junior Shawn Bernardo (Peabody, Mass.) saw his header sail wide of the post on the first try before Lynx keeper Chase Donley (Elizabethtown, Pa.) was able to corral a drive off the foot of senior Carlos Martinez (Chelsea, Mass.) two minutes later.
Donley thwarted another Martinez attempt in the 79th minute as the teams played to a 1-1 score until the penalty kick put the Mustangs up for good.
Donley was strong in between the pipes for the guests as he made eight saves on the night while his counterpart, Riley, earned the win as he turned away four Lesley shots.
The Lynx will be back in action on Monday when they open their home campaign on Monday against Emmanuel College at 8:00p at Edward Field.
